My name is Kevin, I’m 34, and I work in a fairly quiet office in Salt Lake City. Our workplace is one of those typical open-office setups where everyone shares the same kitchen area and fridge.
For the most part, people mind their own business.
But apparently someone in the office has very strong feelings about lunch smells.
About a month ago, the first sticky note appeared on the office fridge. It said:
“Please be mindful of strong food smells in the shared workspace.”
Nobody knew who wrote it, and honestly most of us ignored it. Offices always have some kind of food smell floating around — someone heating up pasta, someone else microwaving leftovers.
It didn’t seem like a big deal.
Then a week later another note appeared.
This one was taped directly above the microwave and said:
“Reminder: Not everyone enjoys smelling other people’s lunch.”
At that point people started joking about it in the office chat.
Someone even suggested we hold a vote on what counts as an “acceptable aroma.”
I didn’t think much of it until last Thursday.
I had brought leftover curry from dinner the night before. When I heated it up in the microwave, the smell definitely filled the kitchen area — but nothing unusual for office leftovers.
When I came back to grab my lunch container later, there was a new sticky note sitting right on top of it.
It said:
“Some of us have to work here.”
No name. No explanation. Just that.
Now, I’m not a confrontational person, but something about that note rubbed me the wrong way. If someone had politely talked to me, I would have happily adjusted what I bring to work.
But anonymous passive-aggressive notes?
That felt different.
So I decided to respond in my own way.
Over the weekend I made a batch of homemade sauerkraut.
If you’ve never smelled fresh fermented cabbage, let’s just say it has a… very distinctive presence.
I also picked up a container of kimchi from a local market.
This morning I packed both into my lunch bag along with garlic noodles.
When lunchtime arrived, I calmly walked into the office kitchen and placed my containers into the microwave.
Thirty seconds later the entire kitchen smelled like an international fermentation festival.
Within minutes people started wandering in to see what was happening.
One coworker asked, “Wow… what is that smell?”
I smiled and said, “Homemade sauerkraut. I’m experimenting with fermentation.”
No new sticky notes have appeared yet.
But the anonymous smell critic hasn’t shown themselves either.
So for now, I’ll just be enjoying my lunches.
And if the passive-aggressive notes return…
Well, I still have four more jars of sauerkraut in the fridge at home.