My Gluten Free Me: Dear Chef....I Need a Meal that is Gluten Free

Inform your Chef... how to prepare your meal GLUTEN-FREE!

Recently, we were given a recommendation for a restaurant. So, we went. When we arrived, we asked the hostess if they had a Gluten Free menu or an allergy menu. She said that we should just inform our server. Well, we did. We told the server that our children need to have a Gluten Free meal and asked for options. Her reply was, well just tell me what you want and I will just press the Gluten Free button when I place the order.

As a mom, who has a lot of experience dining out with my Gluten Free children, red flags immediately began to fly! As I scrutinized the menu for something, anything my children could eat... I found nothing that would be safe for them to eat. Finally, I settled on a chicken breast for one child and a hamburger (no bun) for the other, with fresh veggies as a side. I was settled for the moment that I could feed my children at this restaurant. But then the meal came. The chicken had black marks on it from the grill (which I inferred cross-contamination) and the hamburger came on a bun.

To my dismay neither the chef nor the waitress had any idea what Gluten Free really meant for someone with Celiac Disease. Needless to say, we left the restaurant with two very hungry children.

For most, going out for dinner is a pleasure. However, for people who have Celiac Disease this can be a nightmare. We have had many good Gluten Free dining experiences but what we have learned through it all is that the chef needs to be informed. Now, whenever we go out for dinner I provide a letter or explaination to the chef. The letter includes what Celiac Disease is, possible meals, and explaination of cross-contamination.

While eating out at restaurants where they understand what Gluten Free is, is ideal, it is not always possible. The bottom line is INFORM THE CHEF.