Guide for Preparing Formal Defensive Dining Reviews for Our Newsletter and Website
Select a restaurant. Generally, the easiest restaurants to work with are those where menu choices are simple and food is made to order. Chain restaurants often serve food that is prepared off-site, making it difficult to determine exact ingredients. The best restaurant to select is one where you are already a regular customer and where the staff knows you.
Call the restaurant when they are not busy, usually 2–4 pm, and ask to speak to either the manager or the chef. Tell them you have “special dietary requirements” and you want to know if your needs can be met at their restaurant.
Explain the basics of the gluten-free diet. Know the diet and explain it clearly. Start with a simple explanation, such as, “I have gluten intolerance, which means I cannot eat foods that contain wheat, oats, barley, or rye.” Give a few examples of foods that contain gluten, such as bread, croutons, pasta, soy sauce, canned broth and soup, some marinades, malt, some modified food starch, and sauces thickened with flour.
Ask if and when they might have time to talk with you about selecting items from their menu that can be prepared gluten free. Let them know that you want to share this information with others in Alamo Celiac, which has over 250 members. Also let them know that we have a Web site that is available to resident non-members and people visiting the area.
If possible, study a menu prior to your session with the manager or chef, and brush up on a few culinary terms. The point here is to look for menu items that you think might be gluten free. Concentrate on just a couple of dishes to discuss so that the whole session doesn't become overwhelming.
Make a list of questions to ask based on the type of food served at the restaurant. See the sample question sheet.
At the interview, explain that you have selected a few dishes for which you would like to know the ingredients and preparation. See sample Checklist. Not all restaurants will want to reveal their recipes, but it is necessary for you to thoroughly investigate each ingredient. If there is an ingredient that you are unsure about, write down all the pertinent information so you can check it out at a later time. Include the name of the product, product code, and contact information.
Ask the manager and chef for their recommendations about which items can be prepared gluten free. Again, make note of ingredients and food preparation. It is helpful if you have an information sheet about the diet requirements that you can give them to keep for their records.
Ask what procedure they want a person with gluten intolerance to follow when dining in their restaurant. This could be information such as who the customer should speak with, the best time of day to get a gluten-free meal, a reminder to use clean utensils, or to always use a gluten-free dining card.
Be sure to thank the manager and chef for their time. Try to dine at the restaurant either prior to or after the interview. Plan to pay for it yourself.
Follow up. Follow up the interview with a thank-you note, more correspondence to verify ingredients, and then a copy of the Alamo Celiac newsletter in which the interview is printed. The Alamo Celiac newsletter may be obtained from the newsletter editor, Lynn Rainwater, 210-673-3041 or txlynnr@swbell.net. (MP July 2005)
