Dinner for two or just a date with death?
A couple stare lovingly into each other's eyes as they enjoy a romantic dinner. They enjoyed their starters - a freshly made gazpacho and a goats' cheese salad - and their main courses, which have just been brought to the table, look equally delicious.
As they giggle and flirt with each other (he plans to propose to her once they have finished their meal), they take the first mouthfuls of their second course. Almost immediately, the man starts to sneeze. "Another hay fever sufferer," thinks the maître d' as he tops up their glasses. But then the maître d' notices that the man's lips are starting to swell.
Faced with this situation, how many people in the industry would know what to do? Fortunately, it doesn't happen that often, and some chefs and restaurateurs would argue that if somebody is that ill, they simply shouldn't eat in restaurants.
However, people with food allergies are not freaks who should be barred from restaurants. They are among a minority, but it is a rapidly expanding minority. Each year the number of people suffering from an allergy grows by 5%. In light of this research, it is high time that food allergy awareness was added to every training programme across the hospitality industry.
Research by Manchester University suggests that 75% of deaths and near-deaths from food allergies occur in the catering sector. These occurrences may take place as a result of the most innocent of mistakes. An ingredient not listed on a menu, or a waiter briefed on the main components of a dish only, could easily contribute to the six-or-so food allergy-related deaths in Britain each year. In the case of pub chef Tracey Halliday, who has a peanut allergy, a bottle of beer served by a barman who had just been eating peanuts resulted in Halliday fighting for her life.
Some caterers and chefs are working hard to prevent such events. Alpha Flight Services, Le Petit Blanc group and Westminster College have put food allergies high on their list of subjects for training. Debenhams, which experienced a fatality caused by a severe reaction to a particular food in one of its stores seven years ago, today runs some of the most allergy-aware restaurants in Britain.
But the industry cannot afford to let a sprinkling of operators lead the way. Every member of the industry should be working towards lessening the risks for food allergy sufferers. Knowing how to deal with people experiencing such attacks must one day become instinctive, and that can only be achieved if training on this serious issue becomes a legal requirement at every catering establishment up and down the country.
Amanda Afiya
Acting Chef Editor
Caterer & Hotelkeeper
