High Five To Chef Bill ~

[Corkdarrr]

I am an HRTM (Hospitality, Tourism, Restaurant Mgmt) major here in South Carolina. This summer I took a quantity food productions class that happened to be taught by a friend of mine, Chef Bill.

It was also approximately one week into said class that I discovered the whole gluten thing.

He was great - he knew very little about it, as did I at the time. But he was eager to learn. I shared stuff I'd learned and he even worked wtih me separately on some things using corn starch instead of flour, for example. It's tough to be in a cooking class when you can't taste your final product!!

Anyways, he came into the bar last nite and he said, "Courtney, I had someone ask me to make them a gluten-free meal the other nite. Can you tell me if I did it right?"

Then he described what he prepared for them, making a fresh salad and oil and vinegar for the dressing. He expressed concern about corn because he wasn't sure if that was okay for celiacs, but I assured him corn and rice are both fine - *always* given thorough label-reading.

Then came my most clever analogy. I explained that one of the biggest problems eating out for celiacs is cross contamination. This is found in the salad area if a salad is not freshly made, and can be found on the grills, etc...So I explained it to him using terms HE understood - I said, "Bill, just like how you don't cut chicken on the counter and then use the same knife and workspace to prepare your veggies and bread, etc...you can't use the same stuff when gluten is around." This goes for utensils, bowls, plates, pans, everything.

I know it sounds extreme, but what a great analogy for a lifelong chef who also teaches food safety.

Haha..when you think of gluten, think of salmonella!

Just talking to people since this all started five months ago, I feel like I've not only been able to vent, but also to help educate. There's a ton of people in Columbia, SC that had never heard of gluten until I came around...and mabye they dont' care to hear quite so much about it, but at least it's out there now. Especially being in the hospitality industry, I'm excited to educate kitchen and wait staff, even if it's just a little mention of it from time to time.

So, kudos to Chef Bill!

Courtney

[AndreaB]

Wow, Courtney.

That is so good to hear. The more people (especially in hospitals) that know of gluten and cc the better.

[zansu]

I know it sounds extreme, but what a great analogy for a lifelong chef who also teaches food safety.

Haha..when you think of gluten, think of salmonella!

Yeah, on bad days, I ask my non-gluten-free hubby who used to work pest control and who keeps leaving bread crumbs all over everything, how he'd feel if I left rat poison all over the ktichen... Aw, come on, that amount would only make you a little sick. It wouldn't kill you or anything.. Then he's careful for a few days.

Of course this is only when I'm cleaning the kitchen the third time that day just so that I can fix food and clean it again.....

[Mtndog]

Then came my most clever analogy. I explained that one of the biggest problems eating out for celiacs is cross contamination. This is found in the salad area if a salad is not freshly made, and can be found on the grills, etc...So I explained it to him using terms HE understood - I said, "Bill, just like how you don't cut chicken on the counter and then use the same knife and workspace to prepare your veggies and bread, etc...you can't use the same stuff when gluten is around." This goes for utensils, bowls, plates, pans, everything.

I know it sounds extreme, but what a great analogy for a lifelong chef who also teaches food safety.

Haha..when you think of gluten, think of salmonella!

Courtney

Courtney- Tthat is SUCH a great analogy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos to you and Chef Bill!

[jerseyangel]

Courtney,

I used the exact same analogy when I was explaining CC to my sister. Right away, I could tell that she got it.

I want to add my kudos to you and Chef Bill!