Ironic

[jswog]

I was hungry as I was leaving work (Olive Garden) yesterday, so I got some of our gluten free penne with marinara and chicken, all should have been gluten free. But today I had diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, gas, etc. Grrr... So I had to call in sick today because THEY glutened me! I hope I'm feeling bettr tomorrow...

Jen

[Di2011]

And I hope you report this tomorrow?!?!?!?

[mushroom]

And I hope you report this tomorrow?!?!?!?

Oh yeah, one very dissatisfied custome r

[Almendra]

Olive Garden does get abysmal ratings when it comes to gluten free.

[jswog]

Olive Garden does get abysmal ratings when it comes to gluten free.

It does all depend on which cook is on the line at the time. Some REALLY do know and they do a GREAT JOB! One of our cooks who really 'gets it' and I are fairly close. If she's back there, she will personally make any food for me and I've never had a single problem with it. Tuesday night, if I hadn't been standing in the kichen watching, I would have for sure gotten CC; he had to start all over again because he touched breaded food and then mine. And then Thursday this... Only ordering food to take home when Christina is there cooking it from now on...

[jswog]

And I hope you report this tomorrow?!?!?!?

Most definately plan to, but I have to work a double shift, so I'm still worried about being able to make it through the day. D was still going last night along with the extreme fatigue and brain fog.

[kareng]

Most definately plan to, but I have to work a double shift, so I'm still worried about being able to make it through the day. D was still going last night along with the extreme fatigue and brain fog.

You really need to talk to the manager and if possible the district manager. If only one chef gets it, your restaruant is making lots of people sick. Just adding to the bad rep they have in the Celiac community.

[Almendra]

It does all depend on which cook is on the line at the time. Some REALLY do know and they do a GREAT JOB! One of our cooks who really 'gets it' and I are fairly close. If she's back there, she will personally make any food for me and I've never had a single problem with it. Tuesday night, if I hadn't been standing in the kichen watching, I would have for sure gotten CC; he had to start all over again because he touched breaded food and then mine. And then Thursday this... Only ordering food to take home when Christina is there cooking it from now on...

I almost wish that the Olive Gardens that have ONE chef who really gets it would just put up a "Now serving gluten-free." sign on their webpages/storefront when that chef is in so that their capabilities are less in question than their availability.

If someone can't/won't get it, in the interest of our health and safety, I wish they wouldn't even try.

[Googles]

I almost wish that the Olive Gardens that have ONE chef who really gets it would just put up a "Now serving gluten-free." sign on their webpages/storefront when that chef is in so that their capabilities are less in question than their availability.

If someone can't/won't get it, in the interest of our health and safety, I wish they wouldn't even try.

That doesn't necessarily help as her story reports. That ONE chef isn't on the whole time they are open. So this could give patrons a false sense of security.

[Almendra]

That doesn't necessarily help as her story reports. That ONE chef isn't on the whole time they are open. So this could give patrons a false sense of security.

'

Well, what I was trying to say is that they only even try to serve/notify potential gluten free customers when THAT ONE chef is in. Don't even try to serve it when she's not. SO let the GFers know when it's safe to come. In the interest of my safety, I would value less actual claimed time of gluten free availability in exchange for the restaurant being upfront with when their gluten-free claims have personnel capable of achieving them. Pretty much DON'T give me the false sense of security that a gluten free menu offers. LET ME KNOW when to come in - when the "good chef" is working using instant information methods (internet/facebook/etc.) or even a sign outside ONLY when that person is working.

Honestly, the status and demand that this could establish and create could motivate other chefs to up their gluten-free game and get better at CC issues - especially if it one day became an industry standard. I know people who go to gym classes, following the instructors who match their own preferences/needs best. Why can't we become "chef groupies" who follow and support the chefs who support us and care about our safety?

[mushroom]

Kind of like, "Gluten Free Chef on Duty"???

[jswog]

Talked to the GM this afternoon. Not sure at this point if it is going to help or not, but I did tell him that we REALLY need better education on how to do it right. I mentioned several different ways that this could have happened and he said with several of the scenerios that he would have never even thought about that. I'd LOVE the opportunity to try to better educate the entire staff. Just today, one of our to-go specialists was in the back traying up food and there was a gluten free item that came through. She got out the utensils to go with it (steak knife, fork) and set them on the counter. She was just about to put them on the gluten free plate when I stopped her. She tried to tell me it wouldn't matter. But in that case, she probably would have been right because when I took the meal to the woman, she was sitting there eating breadsticks (and OG breadsticks have wheat, barley, rye, plus extra wheat gluten).

Jen

[captaincrab55]

'

Honestly, the status and demand that this could establish and create could motivate other chefs to up their gluten-free game and get better at CC issues - especially if it one day became an industry standard. I know people who go to gym classes, following the instructors who match their own preferences/needs best. Why can't we become "chef groupies" who follow and support the chefs who support us and care about our safety?

That all sounds Great, but this needs to addressed with Colleges that have Cullinary Courses.. I have a friend enrolled in her second year of Cullinary at Wor-Wic Community College on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.. Her Instructor/Chef thinks the whole Gluten Free thing is Over Rated.. My friend will graduate this spring, at that time I plan to write to my Congressman and the College..

[Leper Messiah]

In all seriousness though, I think it's difficult for anyone without celiac/gluten intolerance of any kind to fully understand just how meticulous you need to be when cooking food for us. One misplaced sticky gluten protein and it's game over. I would only ever eat something from someone else I wholly, totally trust.

I often watch Masterchef (UK) - yes I understand the irony, watching a program with chefs who are cooking food I'll never, for the most part, be able to eat - and think it would be a really cool 'challenge' for Michel Roux Jr to say 'right for this test you have to cook a gluten free meal for a panel of celiacs to judge'.

[kareng]

In all seriousness though, I think it's difficult for anyone without celiac/gluten intolerance of any kind to fully understand just how meticulous you need to be when cooking food for us. One misplaced sticky gluten protein and it's game over. I would only ever eat something from someone else I wholly, totally trust.

I often watch Masterchef (UK) - yes I understand the irony, watching a program with chefs who are cooking food I'll never, for the most part, be able to eat - and think it would be a really cool 'challenge' for Michel Roux Jr to say 'right for this test you have to cook a gluten free meal for a panel of celiacs to judge'.

Judged 2 days later to make sure no one got sick!

[Googles]

I often watch Masterchef (UK) - yes I understand the irony, watching a program with chefs who are cooking food I'll never, for the most part, be able to eat - and think it would be a really cool 'challenge' for Michel Roux Jr to say 'right for this test you have to cook a gluten free meal for a panel of celiacs to judge'.

I was thinking they should do this on Top Chef.

[sandsurfgirl]

That's so disheartening that a teacher is telling future chefs that the gluten thing is overrated at that culinary school! That is horrible!

Honestly, I have never tried Olive Garden gluten free because it scares me. I worked at Olive Garden, granted it was a very long time ago, but stuff was just flying all over the place. If it's the way it was back then, those crouton crumbs are everywhere where they make the salads. I don't even think a salad would be safe, unless they have changed things an awful lot.

I waitressed at several restaurants during college back in the early 90's and I never once had a customer with celiac. As a matter of fact I hardly ever had anyone with food allergies. So I guess I can see how people who've been in the restaurant biz awhile doesn't get it. It seems like it's coming from nowhere but we all know that we just weren't diagnosed back then.

[jswog]

Honestly, I have never tried Olive Garden gluten free because it scares me. I worked at Olive Garden, granted it was a very long time ago, but stuff was just flying all over the place. If it's the way it was back then, those crouton crumbs are everywhere where they make the salads. I don't even think a salad would be safe, unless they have changed things an awful lot.

No, the salad area is pretty much the same as it has been for the past five years (when I worked at OG for the first time), with crutons everywhere, people (employees) walking along and dipping crutons into the open container of dressing for a quick snack, etc. If I get a salad there, I only get a caesar as those are prepped in a totally different area.