Restaurant employee is ostracized after speaking up about the manager's newborn baby being in the kitchen during working hours: ‘Holy OSHA violation’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
May 3, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

Restaurant work, specifically, roles that exist in the kitchen, must live up to certain expectations, health codes, and standards set by the state. Without these rules and regulations, the food these restaurants serve and the safety of the kitchen staff would be put at risk. Luckily, most of those in managerial positions ensure that these rules are followed to a tee—but not all. Others believe that the regulations don't apply to them, that they are above the dangers of flames, sharp knives, and heavy cast-iron pans. When that happens, it's up to those around them to put them in check. If that fails, you go above them. The employee in this story does exactly that, but is ostracized as a result.

This story proves that no matter how high a position one might be in, they prove that they don't deserve to have that power and sway. Scroll to read.

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  • The kitchen manager you'll read about here entered the restaurant's commercial kitchen with a baby strapped to their chest. Not only did they hang out in the kitchen with the infant, but they also began cooking with the infant still on their chest. If that asn't bad enough, they removed the baby from the chest mechanism and placed them alone, in a high chair, and continued about their kitchen tasks.

  • "He then jumps on the cook line and attempts to cook and prepare food, baby still attached."
    via A. C. For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "AITA for asking that a baby/infant be removed from cook line and kitchen in a commercial kitchen during operational hours?"

    A couple of weeks ago my Kitchen manager turned up for work with his baby/infant. He proceeded to enter the kitchen in civilian clothing (as it was a nice day; shorts, T-shirt and trainers)
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • with child strapped to his front. He then jumps on the cook line and attempts to cook and prepare food, baby still attached.
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • He took up position between between the head chef and another team member who were cooking at the time, surrounded by appliances front and back that were all on (grills, fryers, and hot hold bain marie).
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • Cheezburger Image 10500559872
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I was clearing the cook line from previous service. After he nearly fell backwards over a bin and myself, I let out a slight outburst of my
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • dissatisfaction of the situation and concern for the safety of the child. Everyone looked at me as if I was an idiot. I stepped off the cook line and out of the kitchen to calm down. On my return I
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • then discover (by nearly knocking the child over with a prep trolley) that the KM had detached the child from himself, put the kid in the biggest high chair we have in
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • the restaurant, and placed said chair and kid at the end of the cook line obscuring the gangway (which also serves as the main fire escape route), under the equipment k I switches.
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • I was about to explode with rage at this point, so I pleaded, albeit slightly angrily, if the child could be removed from the kitchen. Again I was met with stares as if I was being an idiot and AH.
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • Almost all of my co workers have sided with the KM/father of the child and I am now outcast in my workplace...
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • AITA for reacting on my belief that babies should not be allowed in comercial kitchens or on a cook line during operational hours?
    via Dry-Pie2917
  • Korike0017 NTA what is your position? Is there anyone higher up in the food chain so to speak you can talk to? Babies are absolutely both a safety and a health hazard in a commercial kitchen- this should not be allowed or tolerated. I understand the struggles of working parents, but putting everyone in danger is not the answer. You'd be doing yourself a disservice not to report this.
    via Korike0017
  • ShimmerKoi First you should never cook while front wearing a baby. Second babies don't belong in commercial kitchens at all. It's dangerous for both the kid and the people on the line. If he couldn't find a sitter he needed to call in.
    via ShimmerKoi
  • FiberlsLife NTA. Holy OSHA violation, Batman!! An operating commercial kitchen is absolutely no place for an infant.
    via FiberIsLife
  • SneakySneakySquirrel NTA. Is there someone higher ranked than the KM that you can talk to about this? I get that it can be hard to find childcare and that parents are often put in tough positions, but there are some jobs where you just can't bring your kid along and this is one of them.
    via SneakySneakySquirrel
  • If I had to guess, your coworkers were annoyed because they didn't want to be down a person if the KM had to leave, but they shouldn't be taking that out on you. If they treat you badly because of this incident, I'd look for another job.
    via SneakySneakySquirrel
  • Revolutionary_Bag518 NTA This situation sounds absolutely insane and it's both a MAJOR health and safety violation. I'm shocked no one in your kitchen had a problem with this.
    via Revolutionary_Bag518
  • Brilliant_Cause4118 NTA. your colleagues are dumb
    via Brilliant_Cause4118
  • notjimbelushi420 NTA that's suer dangerous? i wonder if the baby's other parent knew about this
    via notjimbelushi420
  • iseeisayibe NTA. The KM's behavior wasn't just a danger to his baby, it was a danger to everyone.
    via iseeisayibe

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aita workplace-stories baby child manager bosses Professional At Work work reddit story restaurant workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses Reddit restaurant work children entitled people
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