A fierce cheese board debate has emerged after a Manchester chef called out a customer who complained when they were charged extra for butter as ‘expecting restaurants to just give food away’.
Simon Wood, a former MasterChef winner who owns Wood restaurant and cheese bar Homage in the city centre, posted an image on social media from a customer who recently dined at his restaurant and said they were charged when they asked for butter to accompany their cheese board.
The post’s caption said: “When you ask for butter with your cheese and crackers and get charged £2.50 for it. Looks pretty but come on... should be on the board without asking.”
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
Responding to the post, the chef, who hails from Chadderton, wrote: “Why do people expect restaurants to just give food away? And I mean at any point, never mind in the current economic climate….
“If you order something that is or isn’t on the menu (as is the case here) it’s chargeable, I don’t think that’s unreasonable.”
The post has, naturally, sparked debate online over whether butter should be charged extra or not. One person responded to the chef's post by saying: “To be honest if I ordered a cheese board I would expect the crackers/biscuits/breads etc to be included, along with the butter.
“If there was butter included and someone asked for more then I'd still say its a grey area. Do you charge extra for milk and sugar in tea?”
To which Simon responded: “Butter isn’t on the board. There’s five wines, five cheese, unlimited crackers, one lot of bread and two chutneys for £25. That’s value enough. Pay for things that aren’t on the menu, butter doesn’t belong on a cheeseboard.”
Another sided with the chef by replying: “If menu says no butter on the dish then should be charged, if it’s included then of course should be calculated in to the price and yes, butter is expensive.
“There is this long dispute about charging for Mayo or any other sauces, kitchen still have to make them so? Yes or no”
With a shrugging emoji, Simon wrote back: “Food isn’t free, labour isn’t free, crockery isn’t free, service isn’t free, butter isn’t free.”
Another simply remarked: “I swear I want to eat at @SimonJWoodUK’s restaurant just so I can get a portion of butter that looks as pretty as this. And no, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a restaurant to charge for something that’s not on the menu.”
One other wrote: “£2.50 for some butter to go with a cheeseboard is mental.”
The post has also sparked off a separate debate amongst people as to whether butter belongs on a cheeseboard in itself.
One person defiantly said: “The bigger question is, why would you want butter on a cheeseboard?” Another asked: “How many people in this country put butter on crackers?”
Others also remained unchanged on where they stand on the debate by stating: “I have eaten as some of the most amazing restaurants and there is never EVER butter on a cheeseboard. It’s like asking for ketchup with your steak. It’s not done.”
However, there were some butter defenders amongst the crowd. One person wrote: “Sorry chef but I want butter on my cheese board,” while another pointed out: “Stops cheese falling off biscuit.”
Another confidently said: “I would agree with you in general on the broader subject, but butter with cheese and crackers is something I’d expect as a standard accompaniment.”
Simon responded to the poster by simply stating: “Nope, butter doesn’t belong on a cheeseboard.”
Quick to reply, another pointed out the decorated butter dish served by stating: “To be fair, flowers don’t belong on butter either.” To which Simon, accepting the point, responded: “This is possibly true.”
Where do you stand on the cheeseboard and butter situation? Let us know in the comments below...
READ NEXT:
- Hidden 'members only' site is behind one of Manchester's most talked about takeaways
- I tried the posh village chippy that says "it's the future"... and they might be right
- Ramsbottom's famous Chocolate Cafe to close after 15 years
- Michael Bublé treats tour crew to cheesy Manchester favourite for AO Arena show
- New beauty spot café slammed as overpriced and out of touch with toasties tasting 'like rubber'
