Need To Know What To Tell Chef At Restaurant Preparing Separate Meal For Me

[Clark Bent as Stupor-Man]

There's an event being hosted at a restaurant this weekend with a buffet being served. The chef is going out of his way to prepare a meal for me separately, and I just want to know what basic information to tell him to cook and prepare a gluten-free meal that he might not intuitively know. I think the meal is going to be a roasted chicken with honey roasted tomatoes meal in case that helps anyone with what I should suggest to him or be watchful for.

The only places I've eaten out at before have been the typical places with gluten-free menus (outback, pf chang's, risotteria, etc.). So I don't know if there's some quick list of basic instructions I could email him or something like that. Thanks.

[Lisa]

Hi Charlie,

Too late for this weekend, but I HIGHLY recommend the Triumph Dining Cards and you can find them at the Gluten Free Mall on this website.

Remind the chef that you can also get sick from cross contamination. If a utensil, preparation or cooking surface for foods I can't eat, please clean it before using it for may food. Also, if water or oil is used to cook foods I can't eat, please do not use it to cook my food.

When I eat out I try to look for something broiled or steamed (salt and pepper) and steamed veggies, rice, backed potato, salad (I bring my own dressing just in case). I usually find something I can eat, if it's just a salad without dressing.

My favorite locally is Steamed Shrimp with Old Bay and Steamed Broccoli. It's messy but wonderful.

Good luck.

[kenlove]

One of the main things the chef has to be aware of is cross contamination issues. If they are working on your chicken next to where they are rolling out bread dough, it can cause problems. The chef also has to be aware of the ingredients in the sauces etc. that are used. Chicken might be fine but not if its basted with soy sauce. I work with the chefs in Hawaii and although most of them are now aware of what it takes, sometimes they or servers forget even when they have the best intentions.

There are some guidelines for Hawaii chefs on my web site which you can get from my profile that may help your chef. Many of them in major hotels are familiar with celiac and other allergies. Its the small restaurants where I still have troubles. Good luck

Ken

There's an event being hosted at a restaurant this weekend with a buffet being served. The chef is going out of his way to prepare a meal for me separately, and I just want to know what basic information to tell him to cook and prepare a gluten-free meal that he might not intuitively know. I think the meal is going to be a roasted chicken with honey roasted tomatoes meal in case that helps anyone with what I should suggest to him or be watchful for.

The only places I've eaten out at before have been the typical places with gluten-free menus (outback, pf chang's, risotteria, etc.). So I don't know if there's some quick list of basic instructions I could email him or something like that. Thanks.

[happygirl]

Two topics:

1. Ingredients for all the foods (no wheat, rye, barley, barley malt, or oats). Ask about sauces, glazes, broths, etc. Walk through each food with him and talk about each item.

2. Food preparation. Clean utensils, pots/pans, no cross contamination.