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With an estimated 15 million Americans – including one in 13 children – suffering from food allergies, it’s clear that every chef and restaurant needs to consider a protocol to accommodate guests’ special needs. And with an estimated 20 percent of those allergy sufferers avoiding eating out at all, it’s about more than just safety; it’s also good business sense to offer alternatives for diners with food sensitivities. So, how can a restaurant serve its core customer base, yet still attract customers who may avoid dining out altogether, for fear of getting sick – or worse yet, of death?
The Food Allergy Conference for Restaurants was recently held to address such issues. Many chefs and restaurants feel overwhelmed when it comes to food-allergic customers, but a panel of expert chefs and restaurant owners who gathered at the conference developed a slew of ideas to help combat those fears, and keep customers coming in – and coming back.
Training
Surprisingly, many staff members may not be aware of the dangers of food allergies; that’s why it is imperative that all restaurant owners train their servers about the dangers. It should also be mandatory for servers to find out if anyone at a table has a food allergy. It must be impressed upon staff how important it is to inform the chef and the manager or owner of those customers who may be affected.
Ingredients Lists
Chefs should know every single ingredient that is in the food they prepare, and have lists or recipes on-hand and ready to distribute for any guest who asks. A chef may get busy and forget those tiny slivers of almonds he added to that dessert for extra flavor, and end up sending a guest into anaphylactic shock. One suggestion made at the conference was to create an ingredient database that lists all of the ingredients used in all of the recipes prepared.
Separate
Although it may seem impractical or expensive to keep equipment or utensils that are specifically allergy-free, like all other aspects of food sensitivity awareness, it can be beneficial in the long run. Keeping a separate stash of pots, pans, sharp knives, cutting boards – even plates and glassware – for those customers can be tremendously helpful on a busy night. If possible, designate separate fryers or grill sections as allergy-free. The goal is to keep customers coming back, so the extra expense can be to your advantage.
Be Aware
Some ingredients are not necessarily transparent when it comes to their origin. Any good chef should know that items containing whey actually contain dairy, or that gluten lurks in many grains. However, it’s imperative to check ingredients lists on items that are not house made – such as sauces, stocks, or dry mixes.
Honesty is the Best Policy
Above all, be sure that your staff understands that they must be honest when dealing with food-sensitive guests. Encourage servers to tell guests if they are unsure if a menu item contains and allergen, and if they don’t know, they have to be willing to check. You don’t want to be THAT restaurant where a guest died because his server didn’t bother to check if his order had shellfish lurking in it – or if the server didn’t know.