I am severely lactose intolerant. I won’t die, it ain’t an allergy, but even a spoonful of milk could literally send me to the floor for a full day.
I also happen to be vegan (this is a choice, but it also helps me for other health issues).
What happened, you might ask?
I was at work, just started a new job, and they feed us breakfast and lunch daily. This chef, a very rude and judgy man in his 50s who claimed to be the best because he’d worked all over the world, when I told him I was vegan and I therefore couldn’t have meals with cream/milk in them (he made lots of those) rolled his eyes.
I thought “whatever, as long as he gives me what I need, he can roll his eye all he wants”.
A day later, he made a curry plate and told me it was vegan. I double checked with him, because it looked very creamy to me.
“Are you sure there’s no dairy in here?”
“Of course.” he said, looking straight at me.
So I ate it. Not even a full hour goes by and I start to get really sick. Gas, insane stomach cramps, diarrhea. I manage to get home, and I proceed to spend a full day in pain, sweating like a mad man, going from couch to bathroom and back, highly dehydrated because of the whole ordeal. THe day after I barely manage to make it to work, but I do, and I tell my manager.
He doesn’t believe me. Said I probably ate something after work.
I’m furious, but I let it go…
… Until that shit happens again.
I see the plate, the chef tells me it’s vegan. I’m like “Are you sure? Cause last time this and that happened”
He says “Of course.”
So I go to check in the pot, and another chef, this small woman who’s been working as a kitchen help for the past 30 years, comes to me and whispers “That’s not vegan honey. I saw him toss at least half a bottle of cream in that recipe. Which, to be honest, it doesn’t even need.”
Furious, I go talk to my manager again. Finally, with a witness on my side and the proof of what happened last time, my manager believes me and talks to the chef.
He did not get fired (not at that point at least) but only sent off with a warning. He claimed he “didn’t know I was intolerant to lactose” and it makes me FURIOUS because it doesn’t fucking matter. If I tell you I have a dietary restriction it should NOT concern you WHY I have it. I owe no explanation, but I have the right to eat what I requested.
The guy eventually got fired for other stuff, but guess what? The kitchen help lady started making the vegetarian dishes for both me and the clients, and every time she made sure to make it vegan. I never once felt sick or had any problem. She trusted I needed that specific diet and she rolled with it.