Hampshire parents fined for employing teen son in family food trailer

The parents of a 14-year-old boy have been fined for allowing him to work on the family’s mobile food trailer.

Karen and Greg Olejarka pleaded guilty at Southampton Magistrates’ Court to breaching Hampshire County Council’s byelaws prohibiting under-16s from working in commercial kitchens.

The Hampshire couple have been fined £600 each and ordered to pay a further £6,000 in costs.

The family had argued they were supporting their son Dexter’s passion for cooking by allowing him to prepare food in the trailer from the age of 12.

District Judge Anthony Callaway said it was significant that Dexter was seen using deep fat fryers, knives and working in a commercial kitchen run for profit.

The family had argued the food trailer should not be regarded as a commercial kitchen, and insisted that Dexter’s education was not affected.

Greg Olejarka said: “No one considered Dexter in all of this. They prosecute us as parents for supporting our child to become someone with skills.”

Hampshire County Council became aware of Dexter after a YouTube video praising the teenager’s cooking skills showed him using a grill and a deep fat fryer.