Saturday, July 14, 2012

Thievery and Perks

Ramsay's crew occasionally dip into the kitchen goodies for their own ends.  An onion here, a fairy cake there.  Nothing outrageous.

Well, except to Ramsay.  Being in blissful ignorance of prison culture he fails to realise that such thievery is the norm.

Why?  Because when you have to work all hours for £10 a week, a few "perks" are needed to ease the burden.

Seems reasonable to me.

27 comments:

  1. It must be torture for those guys, having to prepare stuff like Beef Wellington and not get any for themselves. Prison grub is worse than school dinners!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prison kitchen workers are normally afforded the perk of a decent meal (Like Steak, Spagbol or a nice Curry or something) a few times a week. Normally, whilst doing overtime on the late shift!

      Delete
  2. I think that petty thieving goes on in most catering establishments certainly the ones I worked in during my student days. I guess it's just those guys are under the spotlight much more than on the outside.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What would someone want raw onions for in a nick? Apart from the desire to make onion hooch of course....?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A welcome (usually unobtainable) addition (Perhaps with a smear of Salad Cream) to a mundane cheese sarnie....maybe!

      Delete
  4. It seems reasonable to me........ If I was a parole officer reading this it would tell me potentially I am letting out a petty thief into the community, if he steals now with no compunction what will he do on his meagre benefits. So close to release posts should be about what he can take away positive about his experience not approving petty criminal crime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your comments are about as well thought out as the typical prison menu.

      Delete
    2. So stealing is acceptable is it stealing is reasonable is it?

      Delete
    3. Maybe not acceptable, but 'accepted' (as in 'customary') certainly. Is it reasonable to expect hungry prisoners surrounded by food to help themselves? You tell me....

      Delete
    4. What about hungry pensioners or hungry children with parents on the bread line is it reasonable for them to to go into Tesco and help them selves. At least prisoners are guaranteed meals every day.

      Delete
    5. Except when they get back from working all hours for nothing to find that they aren't... which I seem to recall was what started this latest storm of Ben's.

      Which is not to say I disagree entirely; there may be a better time for deliberately provokative posts like this.

      But it's also possible that Ben meant "reasonable" to mean something more like "understandable". I can understand why desperate prisoners, pensioners and children might steal without necessarily wishing to encourage or agree with that behaviour.

      But on the other hand, when hungry pensioners steal from Tescos, we all pay through higher prices and when prisoners steal from the system, we all pay through higher taxes. We put those people in positions where they were desperate or angry and disenfranchised enough to steal, so perhaps it's right that we should pay?

      I don't really have a strong opinion on this one, I'm just musing. Which I imagine was the ultimate point of Ben's post: to get us to think. Personally, I don't think he should have to stop doing that because his parole hearing is coming up, although I recognise he probably does all the same.

      Delete
  5. He's that ignorant of prison culture he was quick enough to point out his little project had the benefit of CHEAP LABOUR. So who is the real thief?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Of course stealing is wrong, but those that work in kitchens steal a bite of cheese etc. those that work in offices steal a pen, etc etc that is what happens! However Gordon's operation has to be whiter than white, all eyes on it and wanting it to fail so he has to clamp down. Do you run to the boss if someone uses a paper clip on their personal paperwork????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No but I am not serving a life sentence and looking to be released in a few weeks. Think posts like these don't help.

      Delete
  7. Aw, c'mon supersaint - get a life!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As compared to A life sentence......

      Delete
    2. For stealing an onion no doubt.

      Delete
    3. Both, 'onions' *and* 'supersaintfc', can be very bitter....

      Delete
    4. Not bitter, I just want to be assured mine and my families protection is as secure as it can be. Anything wrong with that......

      Delete
    5. From an onion thief?

      Delete
  8. And you, of course, are squeaky clean and beyond reproach...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I may have gone 31 in a 30 once naughty me. But I am a daddy to A four year old, my absolute world. And anything not squeaky clean and not beyond reproach could reflect on him. So yes I am. My little boy is everything to me and no price to high.

      Delete
    2. So you'd steal an onion or commit murder if the circumstances warranted it, for him?

      Seems to me like you need locking up then..

      Delete
  9. Are we talking about the same Ramsay?:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XReKDdg8UvY&feature=BFa&list=UUm0meJiLbsa95jGKdiOG3MQ

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've been watching the show, and in terms of the "perks" I don't think what was done was dishonest. It was more of a misunderstanding of the rules and culture. They probably assumed that the vegetables would be thrown away if they didn't eat them. And not really being offered a chance to do anything productive the idea of eating some of the product is probably quite strange.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Is this for real? There are fiddles on everywhere, just look at the banks etc. A friend i was once in prison with, that i saw yesterday, told me that in HMP East Sutton Park there is a farm, and the girls uesd to work for £2 a day, barrows of the meat used to go missing, perhaps by staff, who knows, but in life it is all about survival, you have to do what you can to get by. In my book it is ok, as long as your not fucking anyone else over (except banks. When they cut benifit the way they are doing, you watch, crime will go up, maybe more riots? oh, and supersaint, if your boy was starving you would go and nick a loaf of bread, you can't be so self ritious if you never have been in that position. Since i have been to prison myself i am not judge or jury on anyone. And we are all talking about an onion???

    ReplyDelete
  12. Why is it when someone gets called out and feels a bit silly their next argument is "im a parent so i must be right"... really???... Well done... now back to the point of how wrong you are.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.