Woman's BF says her sister's cooking is 'missing something,' demands Sriracha.
AITA for not letting my sister's boyfriend use hot sauce?
Every Sunday my family rotates who makes dinner. One day it's my wife and I, the next time is my sister and her boyfriend, the next my mom and dad, and then finally my grandmother. With our busy lives, this day is important to us because besides holidays, we wouldn't be able to meet up and chat or eat without it.
We come from an Italian family but are in Canada (my mom was born there, I was here). I take my food very seriously, especially Italian food, and double especially because my nonna is eating with us.
I spent all day preparing dinner and when we sat down to eat, my sister's boyfriend is humming and hawing saying my meal is missing something. He said he needs hot sauce and starts walking to my fridge. All I have is Franks and Sriracha. I like hot sauce, too, but I don't dare mix cuisines like that.
So I stopped him saying I'd appreciate if he enjoyed my meal as it is. He said it's no big deal, and in a way it isn't, but also in many ways it is. I told him at the very least, I have some Calabrian chili oil he can use, or dried chili flakes. Then it would at least still be Italian. He insists on Sriracha, and I declined him.
He escalated it and said he was going to go to the store and buy his own bottle and return if that's the case, and I said by all means. He left, we finished up dinner, and we called it an early night. Everyone is putting their coat and shoes on as he returns, and he's pissed.
Was I TA? My sister is on my side if it matters, but this has been a fight all day yesterday between them because he wants my sister on his side, not mine. They've been dating only 3 months.
edit: if it matters, I made carbonara, bruschetta, and then for mains which he didn't get to yet, was a seafood platter in red sauce. My wife and I are 34, 35 respectively, my sister and boyfriend are 23, 22 respectively.
Here's what people had to say:
Heloise_Morris writes:
Yes YTA What difference does it make if someone likes hot sauce on their food? It makes none. You're ridiculous.
Such-Ad5600 OP responded:
It's something a child would do in Italy, being fussy about their meal. It shows not only a lack of respect to me, but also puts him in a bad light in front of my mom, grandmother, but also my sister who also takes food seriously.
YTA - I’m a 16 year veteran of the hospitality industry. I’ve worked in kitchens from dive bars up through multiple Michelin stars, I’ve opened many restaurants & took my first head chef position 8 years ago.
People have different palates requiring different levels of seasoning. If a customer asks you for salt you give it to them, if they request hot sauce? We make our own in house and offer it as well.
The arrogance and lack of gracious hospitality you’ve shown is mind blowing.
Dashcamkitty writes:
The op sounds so pretentious. Let him drench his food in hot sauce if that’s what he wants, it’s not like she’s eating his plate.
missshrimptoast writes:
Policing how someone likes their food is a bad look. My husband likes ketchup on his scrambled eggs.
Kixaxstyx writes:
I have a friend who puts hot sauce on EVERYTHING. Ramen Noodles, Bagels, the occasional ice cream, you name it. Is it weird? Hell yes. Do I make fun of her? Yes (she makes fun of me too its fine shhhh). Do I gatekeep her from putting hot sauce on food I make? No! Because I can't tell her what she can/cannot put on her food.