What should you ask guests about allergies?
- The exact ingredient, not only the category: peanut, sesame, shrimp, egg, milk, wheat or soy.
- How severe it is, and whether trace amounts matter.
- Whether the guest carries their own medication.
- Whether the guest would prefer to bring their own meal.
What do you send the caterer?
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Number of guests with each need | 2 peanut allergy, 1 shellfish allergy |
| Exact ingredient | Peanuts, including peanut oil |
| Severity | Serious, no traces |
| Format | Name-labelled boxes or a buffet |
| Food-ready time | 12:00 |
How does the team check each dish?
- The team goes through each dish with the supplying kitchen and tells you what can be prepared and what cannot.
- Questions cover the main ingredients, sauces, stock, oil and shared equipment.
- The answers are written in the proposal. Anything the kitchen cannot confirm is said plainly.
- Dishes can be labelled and allergy boxes packed apart from other food.
Why is a menu label not an allergy promise?
Restaurant kitchens handle many ingredients on shared equipment, so cross-contact can happen even when a dish does not list the ingredient. A label tells you what the dish is made from. It does not promise the dish is free of traces. That is why serious allergies need a direct conversation and sometimes a separate meal.
How do you plan a menu that is easier on allergies?
- Choose simpler dishes with fewer sauces.
- Skip nuts and sesame in desserts and dressings when a guest has those allergies.
- Offer a labelled vegetarian main and a plain option.
- Keep allergy boxes separate and hand them out first.
- Use the printable dietary needs form to collect answers once.