How a Coeliac Chef Dines Out Safely: Practical Gluten Free Tips
Antony Dionne gives us the lowdown on dining out safely for coeliacs and gluten free patrons
Hey Gluten Free Fam,
Ever felt overly anxious or stressed about dining at a restaurant or eating away from home? Perhaps you’ve been invited to a dinner party or event and you’re wondering if it’s worth the effort as you manage coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance.
Thankfully there are steps anyone can use in these circumstances. Dining out safely is achievable, so long as you adhere to a set of routines that minimise harm and maximise safety.
We were lucky enough to have head chef and founder of Pasta Di Casa, Anthony Dionne on A Gluten Free Podcast for Episode 133 to talk about this very topic.
As a chef with coeliac who works in the hospitality industry, Dionne’s Pasta Di Casa is a must visit location, offering a 100% gluten free Italian menu.
He gives us valuable insights on ordering coeliac-safe gluten free food, how to prepare beforehand, who to speak with, common cross-contamination mistakes to avoid, and the necessity of creating your own support network.
Early Approach: Remain Skeptical & Avoid Fried Foods
There are some basic fundamentals that Dionne adheres to whenever he is in the role of a patron or guest. As far as the chef is concerned, the “gluten free” label is still one to approach with a healthy level of skepticism and caution.
“I see Gluten Free on the menu, (I) always question it,” Dionne says.
From the chef’s point of view, he takes this a step further with fried food. Here is where he draws a line, issuing a zero tolerance policy given the inherent risks associated with cross-contamination.
“When you go in and ask a further question: you are coeliac,” he explains. “This happened so many times. I stay away from pretty much all fried food, because I'm sure that it's cooked in the same oil. That's probably my number one tip.”
Pre-Plan & Seek Management
The Pasta Di Casa head chef understands the hard work begins before you even step foot into the restaurant. While contact with the head chef is incredibly rare given their workload, Dionne believes you need to speak with someone senior rather than the wait staff as you retain a record of your dietary requirements.
“You don't want to really speak to wait staff because they might not be working,” outlined the chef. “It's also great if you speak to a manager. If you get it in writing, you can use that as evidence on the night. So when you go (you can say) - I spoke to (them) and they said this was gluten free.”
Clarity is everything for the chef as he seeks assurances from the establishment. By calling the number and talking with staff directly, he knows he is leaving nothing to chance.
“I'll call (about the) menu before I go,” he says. “I'll have a rough idea of what items are gluten free… double confirming this is safe for a coeliac… there's no cross-contamination. There's no shared fryer… By taking those steps, I've done my homework.”
Engage Staff with Confidence
Half the battle for coeliacs and gluten intolerant patrons will be engaging with staff to effectively communicate between both parties. Dionne argues this is the biggest factor of them all when considering dining away from home, explaining that “speaking to the staff is huge” when following his routine.
That’s all well and good, but who do you speak with precisely?
“The kitchen and the front of house,” Dionne told A Gluten Free Podcast, “because that message needs to get relayed back to the kitchen. It's in translation from you speaking to the front of house to the kitchen. I always check as well when the meal comes out.”
While you may have been given a sense of clarity or confirmation at the first point of contact, don’t avoid the follow-up. This is where you source genuine peace of mind.
“Just confirm if I'm a coeliac,” he remarks. “I can get extremely, extremely sick if I eat this. Always reiterate that you're a coeliac, always double check that the meal's fine. Double check - it sure beats sitting on the toilet all night.”
Gluten Free Staples & Bypassing Grilled Options
Thanks to Dionne’s unique position and wealth of expertise, he recognises that the coeliac and gluten intolerant community require common go-to menu options. When you have those foods you can defer to at a moment’s notice, it removes much of the stress involved with meal selection.
“I stick to things if I am going to order out,” Dionne told Ben. “Anything with rice, obviously rice noodles, fish, which is naturally gluten free, meat (and) chicken.”
“I see Gluten Free on the menu, (I) always question it”
If there is one domain where a red flag emerges time and time again, it’s the grill. From a professional chef who works in this environment constantly, this is a food preparation area that cannot be completely controlled to guarantee gluten free delivery.
“I'm requesting to cook (my meal) in a separate pan instead of putting it on the grill, because a grill is shared, from my experience,” he said. “A grill (has) other foods that are just tossed on there. So if they're warming up breads, or chargrilling bread, meat, fish, whatever goes on that grill, that's instant contamination.”
Joy Discovered with Italian Gluten Free Cuisine
Anthony and Stephanie Dionne from Pasta Di Casa, image: gfpastadicasa.com.au
If coeliacs are seeking staple ingredients for peace of mind, that also applies to cuisines as a collective. From an Italian chef’s standpoint, he argues that his own niche remains a top contender to lookout for.
“Italian is a good one because you've got a lot more gluten free options coming out now,” Dionne says. “It can be adapted quite easily, especially all the scalded, (but) obviously, stay away from the bread.”
However, there is a note of caution for gluten free pizza. Following a bad case of cross-contamination at 19 years old, he sees first-hand how preparing and cooking pizza creates major complications when gluten is concerned.
“(I) didn't actually think about that - how is this being cooked? Are they sticking their hands in the ingredients? Then it's (transferring to a) gluten pizza, and they should run the ingredients that are on the pizza. It's a very, very high risk gluten.”
Pro’s & Con’s with Online Feedback
Much of the hesitation gluten free consumers will have with phone calls and direct talks comes down to time and convenience. Being so accustomed to tracking app reviews through outlets like Find Me Gluten Free, does Dionne find any currency in using these options to gain more insight?
“I think they're very powerful people in our Facebook groups,” he replied. “Then you've got to make the decision at the end of the day if you feel that's the right decision to take any risks… Personally, I don't anymore. I will call (about) the menu as well just to double check. I will back up what people are saying.”
As valuable as online feedback will be, the judgement call will always remain yours. “If you feel comfortable, go for it,” Dionne argues.
Creating a Personal Support Network
As a final takeaway, Dionne saw power in the collective. With every tactic you can employ as a coeliac, seeking support from others in your life offers a relief that’s truly priceless.
“My wife, when we go out now, she'll tell them that I'm coeliac. I'm like, ‘Okay, that just took a bit of pressure off me.’”
Living with a hyperawareness about how debilitating the symptoms are, educating partners, family and friends allows you to avoid feelings of isolation while having an extra safeguard.
“It impacts every aspect of your life,” Dionne states. “By having the support of your friends and family, you don't feel any embarrassment… You feel that normality again. It's huge having that support to make you feel somewhat normal and not having that burden.”
If you enjoyed Anthony Dionne’s tips and advice on dining out gluten free, you can listen to the discussion in its entirety with Ben on A Gluten Free Podcast right here.
They delve into Pasta Di Casa as an establishment and how his life experience as a coeliac chef has shaped his own behaviours and attitudes in the industry.
