Allergic Action

Allison Leono
Posted: May 5, 2009

ATLANTA—As the numbers of patrons with allergy restrictions escalate to record highs, chefs are rephrasing the question of "what can't I serve?" to "what can I serve?" The 12 million people suffering from food allergies in the United States alone, in addition to another two million with celiac disease, generate a market for allergy alternative food products that reaches nearly four billion dollars a year.

With these facts in mind, The Culinary Institute of America, in participation with the National Peanut Board, has collaborated to create "Food Allergies: Challenges and Opportunities for Food Service." This free online training tool helps industry professionals develop standardized procedures that give these diners not only a meal they can eat, but one they crave.

On www.ciaprochef.com/foodallergies, chefs have access to information about the foods that cause 90 percent of food allergies, the main causes for allergic reactions (such as cross-contamination and untrained employees), video interviews with restaurant operators about their successful policies, and a battery of alternative recipe demos. The recipes featured are uncomplicated twists on commonly featured menu items such as grilled marinated flank steak with dairy-free smoky red pepper pesto flavored with chipotle and cumin. For those with celiac disease, a gluten-free quinoa salad, spiced with jalapeño and finished with fresh mint, is featured. Even the egg allergy-ridden can have sweets like star anise scented cantaloupe/yogurt soup with Riesling. Other recipes include soy-free Indian paneer teamed with fragrant spinach sauce and nut-free snacks of garlic popcorn seasoned with cayenne pepper and finished with Asiago, and a "truffle" of carrots, coconuts, and dates seasoned with curry.

The site also details how simple steps of allergy management ensure safety while dispelling irrational fears.