This is a classic in the anglosphere. Bread, cheese, and onions. Though, in this image, it looks like there's some butter on the bread, which for me, is too exotic for my tastes.
I don't remember where I learned about this delicacy but I took the image from an open source information repository that calls itself "Free Encyclopedia".
Would anyone like to come over to my place for bread, cheese, and onions?
I can't deal with raw onion on its own. it's too intense for me. the sharpness, the crispness, some combo of the two. it probably didn't hurt that my first couple of jobs were as a sometimes prep cook cutting onions.
I wouldn't gag, but just thinking about it makes my nose scrunch up.
of course if it's masked in a bunch of acidic umami curried vegetables and hot broth like various Thai dishes, I'll wolf it down like a dog.
I used to work with a guy that would just eat an onion for lunch. he brought a Tupperware type container with the onion, kept it in a fridge and would slice it up and eat it with a knife and fork.
pretty sure he was an alien.
Your coworker sounds like my type of bloke. Tell him I'd like to eat some onions with him if he doesn't mind.