Dinner Meeting - Help!

[Sheely]

I just found out that I have an Advisory Board meeting on Thursday night at a restaurant. It's either going to be at the Olive Tree or Olive Garden, I can't remember which one (left the directions at work). My work requires that I be there, since I am the Program Coordinator for which the board is advising. We used to just have these meetings at work, but somebody decided to get fancy and have a dinner meeting at a restaurant.

Here I am, a lactose intolerant celiac, going to an Italian restaurant. I really don't want to draw attention to myself and take a long time ordering food. So how do I go about this? Bring my own peanut butter and jelly sandwich on gluten free bread? ACK!

Sheila

Maryland

[celiac3270]

If it's Olive Garden:

Open Original Shared Link

This is for CA (found it searching for Olive Garden and gluten free) but it probably applies nationwide. Hmm...so they claim they can accomodate to gluten-free, but most celiacs think otherwise. What I would do is bring a dining card to give to the waiter and ask for something like...a baked potato and some meat or something. Emphasize the importance of cross-contamination and tell the chef NO spices, NO flours, NOTHING can be made in the same water or with the same utensils as a gluten-containing product. Make it sound very serious because it is...if the chef thinks of it like a peanut allergy, you'll stand a better chance of not getting contaminated. The other option is to eat before you go and have something like a salad with no croutons, no dressing on it (bring your own) etc. Or eat beforehand and eat nothing there, though that might call attention to your celiac...if you felt comfortable about it, though, you could just explain how serious it is and they should get on with it...

Your choice

[Guest Viola]

I've been through a couple of these dinner parties. Yes, certainly have the card! But I have found that when I went in a couple of days ahead of the party date and talked to the manager and kitchen staff, things went really smoothly. My meal was readied in a separate corner of the kitchen and came out at the same time as the rest of the diners without any fuss. If you don't have time to go ahead, then stick with a 'pan' done chicken breast, or steak, baked potato and simple salad.

Good Luck with this, and let us know how you make out

[KaitiUSA]

Sheila~

I also live in MD and I have not been to an Olive Garden out here or anywhere else for that matter that I feel safe eating at.

If you are stuck going there maybe you could ask for a plain salad with no croutons and then bring a little packet of your own dressing or find out ahead of time if theirs is gluten free.

When you find out where you are going I would call and explain the situation(talk with the manager) and see if this is something they can work with.

If they can't just go and order a drink...explain to the people you are meeting with that you have dietary restrictions and you don't mean to be rude by not ordering anything but you want to be healthy enough to work.

Do the people you work with know about your celiac disease?

You could always just eat before you go and bring a little snack along. Make a gluten free sub or something with gluten-free bread, meat, cheese, lettuce and whatever else...yum that sounds good right now actually...I'm off to make one

[tarnalberry]

In an instance where I can't check with a restaurant ahead of time, I eat before hand, and just have water. Not the same, but way safer.