Felt sorry for the chef

I have just remembered an incident way back in the early eighties. My husband had been told by his doctor to cut out salt. We were eating out in quite an upmarket restaurant owned by Norman Parkinson's son and my husband asked to speak to the chef, told him he needed his food cooked without salt to be told "oh man, you giving me a headache". We never went back there.

In my day - (now those are words I never thought I would write ) we ate what we were given. That may account for none of the oldies having preferences at a recent multi generational function compared with the battery of special requests from the younger generation.

Bijou

I don’t remember all these allergies years ago. I used to have many dinner parties.

Food was plainer I think. I just used to say, I can’t eat nuts, when I was a guest and then my host would give me the chocolate mousse without the nuts sprinkled on top.

Now I have to question things closely. Were nuts used as a thickener. Was nut milk used instead of dairy. Was the chickpea pate roasted in nut oil.

It’s a sad fact that in trying to meet one requirement, you can make it difficult for others.

The trend to go vegan with mass catering has made life very difficult for me because nuts are used in so many vegan recipes.

Back to taking my own bacon sandwiches?

shellfish..and ill-making as with gluten. intolerance

Gluten intolerance and coeliac disease are not quite the same.

Coeliac disease is NOT an allergy.

I don’t remember all these allergies years ago. I used to have many dinner parties.

I hope you posted a five star review on the restaurants page! I can’t understand how/why so many people are allergic to so many things these days ?‍♀️?!?!?!?!

A very patient chef! Some people have real needs determined by real allergies and conditions and they have to be catered for but for others it's a matter of choice to be veg or vegan and in some cases uninformed fadism.

My sister-in-law is coeliac, though not diagnosed until she was in her 30's. I fed her family pasta on the only occasion they came to us for a meal (we lived 200 miles apart) and she was diagnosed soon after. I felt terrible though I'd had no way of knowing.
My DS's FiL is also coeliac but I've never cooked for him. I find it difficult enough cooking for vegetarians without the menu becoming very boring!
Any chef who can cope with all the numerous allergies and preferences that exist these days should be congratulated!

I don't have any allergies, but I don't eat meat for the sake of the animals. ...so it is relatively easy, especially now, but that is SO DIFFERENT from life-threatening allergies...as can be with nuts and shellfish..and ill-making as with gluten. intolerance. The physical intolerance to different foods seems to be subject to fashion and legislation. It's like if you don't have a food specificity you are not very special... The confusion between prefer and must is more blurred than ever. I think if I were a chef I would centre on dishes with no nuts shellfish or meat ideally gluten free...recipes anyone?

Why not just eat at home
me!

I was at an event this weekend where all the buffet food was vegan. Unfortunately most of it had some sort of nut in its make up.

I was very hungry?

People often think if it’s vegan anyone can eat it.

I am coeliac so have to be gluten free. It’s a shame Callistemon that it is not always taken seriously because of vague claims. The supermarkets usually have a good supply of dry gluten free food but now Vegan food has taken up all the space on the chilled and frozen food areas at the expense of the gluten free.

As a coeliac I am deeply grateful for all the gluten-intolerant folk out there whose buying power has made my life much more tolerable.

A lot of people claim to be gluten intolerant or prefer not to eat gluten now which has made the choice of food in ordinary supermarkets quite remarkable, so it has had a positive result.

Not that long ago coeliac disease was large unrecognised, undiagnosed and people suffered years of ill health as a result. If diagnosed, the most you could hope for was a prescription for gf flour to bake your own bread and cakes.

Did people just suffer afterwards undiagnosed or not go out?

Perhaps they died from anaphylactic shock, due to their allergies.

PS: Jaxjacky - I think it was a bit of a mix, and I think when these things were less well understood, folk sometimes put them down to poor hygiene at the restaurant!
My sensitivities are all connected with seafood, so I can avoid them on a menu, and wouldn't mention them if out in a group. But if invited to eat at someone's home, I have to tell them.

A massive difference between real and life threatening allergy, food intolerances and ... all the nonsensical rest!

Yes, a nightmare for Chefs- but also very dangerous for those with real, life threatening allergies, which are often not taken serioulsy because of ...

Definitely praise them on Facebook & Trip advisor!
I have been around vegetarians all my life and don't find them too difficult to accommodate.
I do agree that having a lot of people around with allergies can be annoying, but I am not sure what we are supposed to do!
I, like many of my generation was brought up to eat what was put in front of me and 'not make a fuss'. I am not at all a fussy eater, but over the last 30 years or so have gradually developed a few food allergies / sensitivities that do make me unwell - not life-threatening but 2-3 days of discomfort.
I do tell people when I am invited out, and always feel very apologetic. The alternative is to decline invitations which seems ridiculous!
I enjoy cooking, and so does DH so we are happy to cater for various 'food issues' when we invite folk to us, but I do see why it can be a faff.

I’m not questioning peoples allergies at all, but I don’t recall these challenges for chefs years ago.
I used to frequently eat out with groups of work colleagues and friends through the 70’s to 90’s, no preferences expressed. Did people just suffer afterwards undiagnosed or not go out?

So 100+ stars for that chef and restaurant, and for the one person who called ahead!!
I'm so happy you enjoyed your meal, Teacheranne.

felice

I actually have severe shellfish allergy myself, a good friend used to invite a group of friends to a big summer party every year.
Paella, ok if no shellfish. she would serve me a plate and pick out the clams, mussels etc, 'so it would be ok for me,DUH.
She was very offended when I stopped going.

Oh dear.
Yes, DD has had the same with lovely home made gf pizza bases touched by non-gf floury hands.

DD’s friend loves living in Yorkshire because she can now have fish and chips from a chippie, which she never had a child. They used nut oil where she’s from. In DD’s area, F&C are cooked in dripping and her friend can have that!

I took my DGD to an up market fast food place she wanted to go to. She ordered and I mentioned her nut allergy, good job I did as her chips were cooked in nut oil. You can never be too careful.
When I book a place or buy from the patisserie I always mention it.

I actually have severe shellfish allergy myself, a good friend used to invite a group of friends to a big summer party every year.
Paella, ok if no shellfish. she would serve me a plate and pick out the clams, mussels etc, 'so it would be ok for me,DUH.
She was very offended when I stopped going.

Our friend's DD has a severe nut allergy too. It's very difficult.