Anyone here been vegan offshore?

[knackers]

Staring down a few jobs at the moment, one of which is looking after equipment on offshore oil platforms.
I vaguely remember my trip offshore about 5-6 years ago as a non vegan and the menu was all very animal based with an untouched salad bar..

If anyones been out there as vegan, how did you find it?

[Raynak]

My boyfriend goes to an offshore oil platform once every 1-3 years for his work, and is currently on one now for a week. When he gets back I will ask him again about the food. But I do remember him telling there are always a lot of options, including different kinds of vegetables, beans and fruits.

Are there maybe some things you would like to ask specifically? Because then I could text him while he is still there. Because he isn't vegan, so there are many things he maybe wouldn't pay attention to without being asked specifically, and might not remember if I asked him afterwards when he is home again.

[knackers]

Thanks Raynak,

Are there maybe some things you would like to ask specifically? Because then I could text him while he is still there. Because he isn't vegan, so there are many things he maybe wouldn't pay attention to without being asked specifically, and might not remember if I asked him afterwards when he is home again.

Is the selection of beans, fruits and veggies available at every meal of the day?
My main concern is having something to eat at each meal regardless of how basic it may be.
but in saying that Id imagine it would differ a lot on each platform as each different company will have a different caterer....

[knackers]

Couple of emails back and forth to one of the catering companies..>


Hi, I would like to know if you cater for vegan workers on the North west australian offshore platforms ?
I may be heading out there and would like access to foods free from animal products.


We have many offshore platforms, so it is difficult to respond to this question without knowing which in particular you are referring to.
However Compass Group caters for vegetarian workers on a daily basis. Whilst we will review and try our hardest to cater for vegan diets, it isn’t guaranteed that there will be sufficient animal free products for a complete balanced diet. Yet, I must emphasise this does differ from platform to platform and is dependent on contracts.

Can you provide a general menu that would be found on "some" of your offshore platforms off the north west coast of Australia, I know you have many different menus but I would like an 'example' if possible.
If you cater for vegetarians I would imagine there would be vegan options at every meal break? This is may my main concern, just being able to have access to something with no animal products at every meal, wether you believe it is a balanced meal or not is irrelevant, but thanks for your input anyway.


We do not send out our menus, as these are our Companies intellectual property.
I can only advise you on company policy which is to provide vegetarians meals, where contracts specify the need. I can’t tell you if there is food available with non animal products at all meal times, however at breakfast, lunch and dinner there definitely is, and there is always fruit available. As I said before the Chefs on the facilities will try and accommodate for dietary considerations where possible.
Thanks

[baldy]

Sounds like it would be ok with a stash of builder bars and protein powders.
Chips and salads are so universal, pretty sure you would get them every meal in a canteen.

[Raynak]

Thanks Raynak,

Is the selection of beans, fruits and veggies available at every meal of the day?
My main concern is having something to eat at each meal regardless of how basic it may be.

I texted him, and he promised he would keep it in mind at each meal and look around for all the vegan options and report back to me on this when he gets back. I'll post again when he has returned, will probably be next saturday.

but in saying that Id imagine it would differ a lot on each platform as each different company will have a different caterer....

Yeah, of course the food will/could be different for each location, but at least it will be a good indication.

[knackers]

Sounds like it would be ok with a stash of builder bars and protein powders.
Chips and salads are so universal, pretty sure you would get them every meal in a canteen.

Definitely some builder bars, I think its a 10kg bag limit, so should have room for a few boxes and 1 tub of pea protein, will have to mix it in water though, been doing a few practice shakes with chocolate flavour and it taste fine. Thinking maybe some viana picknickers also if I have room, my bag will be definitely weighing exactly 10 kg though thats for sure

[JP]

protein amount and price and weight wise cant beat protein powders. Bars are a poor comparison...

[thestoatyone]

European employment law'd churn those chumps to shit by the way...

[V VII Hero]

I brought all my own food with me and cooked my own meals. rice cooker was a life and time saver.

[Raynak]

Bf is back and kept an eye out for all vegan options at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, but he thinks it’s gonna be difficult for a vegan. Many, many meat/fish/vegetarian options, but the choices for a vegan are very limited to fruit, bread (which you would have to check with the chef, since they make everything themselves on the oil platform), vegetables, salad and rice/pasta/potato.
Last time he was on the same platform, they also had beans at lunch and dinner, but this time they only had vegetables and salad.
He also said that since the chefs on the platform make everything themselves each day (the breads, the cookies, the desserts, etc), you could also try and ask the chefs if they could make you some vegan options, it seems like they are generally very accommodating and willing to listen to your dietary wishes.

He also asked other people on the platform about the food on other platforms that they had been on, and they all said the same: that it would be pretty hard for a vegan and that there isn’t a big variety of food available beside fruit for breakfast and salad, vegetables and rice/pasta/potato for lunch and dinner.

Also all the stories he heard from the other men came down to this: the smaller the oil platform/the lesser people work on the platform, the crappier the food is and the less variety is offered. So the bigger the platform is that you are going to, the bigger the changes are that you’ll be able to find enough to eat at each meal.

Funny story he heard while asking around about the food on other platforms:
A few men once had to work on an oil platform where only 5-7 people worked on, and they didn’t even have a chef on board or even a kitchen. All they had was a small deep fryer and a mini freezer filled with fries and snacks for the deep fryer. And after a few days of using the fryer for breakfast, lunch, dinner, the fat in the pan needed to be replaced, so one guy took the pan and took it to the sea, to (illegally) dump the old fat into the sea. But he had forgotten to take out the little basket which you put the fries/snacks in, so he chucked that out as well with the old fat. So then they couldn’t use the deep fryer anymore and thus they had nothing to eat anymore So they had to have a chopper come to the platform and deliver a new deep fryer

[knackers]

thanks alot Raynak!

was a front runner for the gig but didnt hear back... probly a good thing though food wise haha

[JP]

non vegans always say its hard

we know its hard, but it doesnt matter because its the only option

just a matter of how.

but too bad you didnt get the job man, though maybe they are just slow in responding