Are you going to complain about the chow?
That’s… really weird, because I have never in my life known anyone who didn’t make a distinction between those things. Those are quite different ways to prepare eggs.
The idea that in the 24th century “omelette” means scrambled eggs, or could mean a multitude of ways to prepare eggs, seems quite reasonable to me.
Weirdly, this is too realistic for Star Trek. In 400 years, English should have changed dramatically from 1980s American English, but that’s never reflected in the show. Presumably the future-English they’re speaking is translated into 1980s English for the benefit of the viewer, just as (for example) the natives of Westeros are having their language translated into English for us. It’d be great fun to have a show that plays with language (the novel Embassytown by China Mieville makes great hay out of linguistic science fiction), but that’s not what Star Trek does.
Watching the scene in question, Riker never says he’s making an omelette. Maybe the doc was just confused about what they were going to have.
It all goes back to the “Bio-engineered Healthy Egg” fiasco of 2156. Who could have foreseen that an “all egg white” egg would lead to the near extinction of chickens?
When I saw this thread, I thought, “no, he must have been making an omelette, because that’s what they calle it.” I found a clip. There’s no question–it’s not an omelette, not by any stretch.
I think that’s the most likely explanation, she just made an assumption it was omelets before he started cooking. But yeah, he never claims it to be anything other than eggs.
He put a plate of eggs in front of Data who clearly intended to eat them. What happens to those eggs?
He’s fully functional.
Oh you dear, that’s just what I wanted to hear!
Yep, he has an “atomic stomach” (or something like that) that burns food.
She probably banged her head when she fell down that turbolift shaft. Ouch! 
It might be a galley used to cater for VIPs or banquets. In the 23rd century they only had “food synthesizers” instead of replicators, but it seems vague how inferior they are to replicators. As for the phasers; as soon as the shields go down intruders can materialize anywhere in the ship, it makes perfect sense to have weapons stashed everywhere.
They had “enough food to feed 430 people for five years” (“Mark of Gideon”), and meals were “reconstituted” (“Arena”). How exactly things like “synthesized meatloaf” (“Charlie X”) were produced by the “food synthesizers” (“The Trouble with Tribbles”) defies description.
“Perfect sense” only if the Federation is an unbalanced, highly paranoid society. Dealing with intruders is a task for Security, not some poor schlub trying to bake a soufflé while he’s off duty.
WAG-Everyone in Starfleet has had basic weapons training. Much like a mechanic in the Army can still fire a rifle.
My thoughts on synthesizers v. replicators; the difference is just quality. Replicator food just taste more like real food than synthesizers, and they are more energy efficient.
It’s a star fleet ship, not a random civilian transport vessel. Everyone on that ship should be rated to use a phaser if needed.
They’re not chicken eggs, but Riker doesn’t seem to realize that’s an issue: eggs are eggs, right? And he credits his father with his cooking acumen, because his father hated cooking and left it to Riker to make all the food. And everyone is appalled when they taste the eggs. And Riker has one of the most famous egos of science fiction, and may not be the best judge of his own talents.
I don’t think the doc is confused. I think Riker has no goddamned idea what an omelette is.
Also, Riker isn’t the best guide as to what tastes good. The man eats Gagh!
My God! This is Moose Turd pie!
Tasty though.
I love that scene for how completely unfazed Picard and Riker are considering what just went down.
So much weird shit happens on episodes of TNG or TOS that the reports back to HQ must be really crazy to read.