Restaurant Research In New York

[parifete]

Hi, I am doing a research about gluten free restaurants. I am mostly researching New York but would love feedback from anyone. I have a few questions I would love you to take some time to answer.

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination?

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life?

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar?

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease?

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not?

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you?

I really appreciate you taking time to answer these few questions. I am doing research for a paper and would love all the information I can. Being gluten intolerant myself I really miss eating out and definitely fear cross contamination. I would love to know if their are other people in my shoes. I would love to hear any restaurant experiences you have had that would be informative to other people about the difficulties of celiac and gluten intolerances.

Thank you so much

[kenlove]

Here you go!

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination?

Yes, very much so. Having been a chef and now working with other chefs and teaching at a culinary school, know what goes on in the kitchen. There are too many chances for CC unless the kitchen staff is really aware.

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life?

There are many restaurants I will no longer go into based on the way they prepare. If I go to a new place and servers and/or chefs dont know what celiac is, I'll order a salad and never go back unless they display a keen interest in learning more.

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar?

No but always watch what menus say in regards to other allergies.

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease?

No but we are working to change that in Hawaii and developed guidelines for chefs and chef students which will hopefully be turned into a class for all culinary students in Hawaii.

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not?

about 50/50 -- Clearly more education of wait staff and kitchen staff is needed

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you?

Not being able to go out and eat anywhere.

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Since we cant post personal websites -- all I can say is that if you visit my profile it will refer you to the site where you can see some of the things we've started in Hawaii. Having been diagnosed two years ago at 55 and having never heard of celiac before that, I can say there is a lot more work to do

Ken

[jkmunchkin]

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination?

Yes. I worry about it less in a restaurant that has a gluten free menu, because there is the assumption the staff knows all the precautions to take; but I never feel 100% safe.

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life?

I definately err towards going to restaurants with a gluten free menu (for the reasons above); and it also cuts down on having to have a 5 minute conversation with your waiter in front of the rest of your party. It has affected my social life in the sense that now I have to be pickier about where I choose to eat; but I never don't go somewhere because of having celiac. If I am invited to say a birthday dinner at a restaurant where I just don't feel there are any safe choices, I simply eat before I go and non-chalantly enjoy a beverage and join in the conversation while everyone eats.

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar?

No. Celiac (wheat and gluten) are the only food issues I have.

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease?

Living in NY I do find that most restaurants either do know about celiac or some form of a wheat allergy, or even if they don't are completely accomodating. The only time I'm ever treated as if what I'm requesting is slightly odd, is when I travel to other areas. I feel very fortunate to live where I do having celiac.

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not?

Absolutely. Again, I think living in NY is a big help.

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you?

Not being able to just grab something quick on the go.

[babysteps]

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination?

Yes

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life?

Yes, I make sure to call ahead and/or warn rest of my party they'll hear a speech. For group dining events I usually skip the passed food & stick to whatever arrangements I've made ahead of time - if it's a sit-down dinner, I will have talked to the restaurant/caterer & made arrangements. If it's a buffet event, I eat before I go.

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar?

I also avoid caffeine, including any sizeable portions of chocolate - but it's an intolerance (stay awake and/or wake up at 4am) not an allergy or immune reaction, so not as worried as I am about gluten

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease?

No. Some are, more than used to be, but generally no.

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not?

Generally yes. Sometimes takes a few extra minutes of education.

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you?

getting used to always double-checking everything, but still keeping upbeat. Easy enough in the supermarket, sometimes takes working on my tone in a restaurant

check out the restaurant thread for dining stories, there are quite a few related to NYC

also Open Original Shared Link has mostly NYC restaurants reviewed from a 'restricted diner' perspective

Good luck in your research & in eating out!

[cloesb]

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination? YES, BUT I TRY TO NOT THINK ABOUT IT AT ALL SO I CAN SIT AND ENJOY MY MEAL.

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life? IT'S LIMITED THE NUMBER OF MY CHOICES, WHICH SOMETIMES MAKES ME DEPRESSED. ITS AFFECTED MY SOCIAL LIFE B/C MY FRIENDS NOW GO TO RESTAURANTS AROUND WHAT I CAN EAT. WHICH MAKES ME FEEL GUILTY. I THINK THE HARDEST PART IS THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT OF EATING OUT - I LOVE TO DO IT BUT ITS NOT AS MUCH FUN AS IT USED TO BE.

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar? NO

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease? 1/2 YES AND 1/2 NO....WHEN THEY SAY NO I TEND TO EAT VERY SIMPLE SAFE FOOD. I.E. SALAD OR SOMETHING CHEAP AND BORING. IF THEY SAY YES - I TEND TO GET MORE EXCITED AND ADVENTUROUS.

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not? AGAIN, 1/2 YES AND 1/2 NO....I'VE HAD MANAGERS HELP ME WITH MY ORDER AS WELL AS MANAGERS WHO'VE SAID "OH, GLUTEN - WE DON'T USE IT. ITS LIKE GLUCOSE - RIGHT? SORRY. I CAN'T HELP."

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you? THE DEPRESSION AND BOREDOM OF EATING THE SAME FOODS OVER AND OVER. I'M SO JEALOUS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN JUST GRAB A SLICE OF PIZZA. SOMETIMES IT REALLY GETS TO ME EMOTIONALLY.

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I am not in New York but visit!

1. When you eat out at a restaurant do you worry about cross contamination?

Always.

2. How has being diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance affected the way you eat out? Has it affected your social life?

I either do not eat while everyone else does or we research in advance a place for everyone including myself

3. If you do go to a restaurant with a gluten free menu do you worry about other allergies such as soy, dairy, corn, nightshades, or refined sugar?

Yes.

4. Do you find most restaurants or chefs to be knowledgeable about celiac disease?

No unless they are more high end and trained or already have a gluten-free program in place.

5. Have you found people to be accommodating to your condition or not?

Usually yes.

6. What is the most difficult part of being a celiac for you?

Making people understand Celiacs.