I can understand that food will smell whe heated at work or cafeteria or whatever, and we should be al tolerant toward each other. But the smell that clings to you and becomes you, and you become a walking and talking nihari, is just baddddddd.
I honestly believe some people are immune toit. If they 'marinate' in these fumes all day, it would be like a norm for them and their family...and when it hits them..then it may be too late to go change clothes etc..
Forget desi food, there used to be this man (in his 40s or 50s) whose cube was next to mine (in New Orleans Office) and on Fridays, I would go downstairs to the cafe and bring a Steak Escape sandwich with me to eat so I could take the lunch break to go pray Jumma. If you've never had that sandwich, it's very hot and whatever you get (chicken, vegis, beef, shrimp etc.) and the good smell travels. Anyway, that dude used to have a problem with the smell and his reason was "the smell of food distracts my thought process" :D
I open all windows around the kitchen area, turn on the above the stove exhaust and use a window fan as another exhaust while cooking. After I am done, I spray a food neutralizer and light a candle.
Tell me about it, whenever i goto the masjid to read salat, i dread praying next to a guy who’s just happened to have eaten; and of all foods daal and onions, makes me wanna crack skulls.