RESTAURANTS
Dining out, for coeliacs, causes many people a lot of anxiety. It’s something we all look forward to, going out for a meal with friends or family, but for coeliacs there’s the added worry about not being in control of what you’re served. Yes there’s no mess or dishes to do afterwards, but you’re concerned about getting sick. For some it’s easier to just avoid it and stay at home. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Thankfully awareness of food intolerance is growing. The industry has recognized the value of the market. Restaurant staff are generally better trained in understanding your needs. Your ability to screen restaurants and their menus before you book is now much easier thanks to smart phones and the internet.
Do Your Research
Most restaurants now have an online presence, either their own website, through the many restaurant review sites, or dedicated Coeliac sites, where you can get information about what’s available in your area and where to find it.
Restaurants that do offer gluten free options will usually indicate it on their menus, if not on their front page. If they don’t, you can assume they haven’t given the support of Coeliacs much consideration, so it’s probably safer to book somewhere else.
Making A Booking
Online booking is becoming more commonplace these days, but it’s only through talking to the staff on the phone that you’ll find out whether the chefs and the kitchen are prepared to offer you a range of choices, and guarantee the GF integrity of your food.
Cross-contamination through flour being used in food preparation areas is important to consider, and for Coeliacs extremely sensitive to gluten you may also want to ask about whether airborne flour may be a concern. Be specific when you question the staff; you can’t expect them to have a deep understanding of the details needed to make sure you enjoy your night out. If you’re unsure about any of the answers you get, you may want to reconsider your venue.
At Your Table
Your final line of self-defence, after taking so much care choosing your restaurant, is talking with your wait-staff before placing your order.
If you have any doubts about their understanding of your needs, you can always ask them to check with the chef about what specific dishes are available to you, or speak directly with the manager.
Often the kitchen will be able to, or may offer to substitute components of a dish to give you more choice, e.g. grilled fish instead of coated and fried, or a vegetable side dish instead of fries.
At The End Of The Night, Was It A Good One?
It makes sense to reward a business that gives you good service and product. With your understanding of the complications involved in preparing food for Coeliacs in a non-GF kitchen, you’ll go a long way towards improving the relationship between restaurateurs and all Coeliacs by acknowledging their contribution to a successful night out.
Social media is a powerful tool for businesses these days; they all have a Facebook page, or a testimonial page on their site. You may be a contributor on Trip Advisor or any of the other review sites online. Do them (and all your Coeliac comrades) a favour and give them a great review.
If you can point more Coeliac trade in their direction you’ll heighten the value of your market segment to them, which will encourage more education of staff, more investment in GF foods, and more choice on menus.
Of course, not every night out ends well for Coeliacs. You have two options if that’s the way it plays out. You can say nothing and just never patronize that business again. In which case they’ll never know they made a mistake, and will almost certainly continue making the same mistakes with other Coeliacs time and again until the word is out and they start losing trade.
Alternatively and more productively, you could contact them and tell them what happened after you left; about the symptoms you suffered and their effect on your night out. Give them the chance to address the issue directly with you, and hopefully try to improve their ability to provide safe food for their Coeliac customers.
@ YOUR FRIENDS’ PLACE
If you’re the only Coeliac in your circle of friends, going to their house for a meal can be a cause for concern. Unless they’re familiar with all of the places gluten can hide in food products, or the risks of cross contamination, how can you be sure there’ll be anything on the table that’s safe for you to eat?
Let Them Know What They Need To Know
If you haven’t already had the conversation, it’s easy to avoid (their) embarrassment by simply explaining you have a gluten intolerance. You can ask what they have planned for the menu, and uncover and discuss any potential gluten sources.
There are very few dishes that can’t be converted to GF with a little forethought, and you can add to your foodie friends repertoire by introducing them to alternative grains, flours and sauces they may never have used before.
Ask If You Can Help
Offering to bring a side dish or a salad is not only a nice gesture from a guest, it takes away some of the hosts anxiety about making you sick, and ensures that you have at least one safe option to eat!
If your host seems a little lost in what they can cook that’s going to be ok for you, offer to lend them your GF cookbooks so they can choose and plan in plenty of time for the event.
Use your familiarity with the variations in cooking methods and times of the various GF products included in the menu, to help the cook deliver something everybody will be happy with. Do whatever you can to make it easy for the hosts and help them to feel comfortable doing things a little differently.