Page 16 - foodservice news - July 2018

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TRADE TALK
GETTING PRACTICAL
In offering genuine, gluten-free options, Galloway sees training for both front and back of house as key. She says, “Although not life threatening, gluten can
be very uncomfortable for the individual if served dishes that are not suitable for their diet.
“It takes more than offering gluten-free toast to make a gluten-free meal. You need to consider where the bread is toasted – do you have a dedicated toaster or do you use baking paper or a toaster bag in the sandwich press? Do you have dedicated spreads and fillings?”
plate to identify a gluten-free meal makes it very easy for all staff to identify the gluten-free meal from kitchen to customer,” she says. “When displaying food in your display cabinets, always put the gluten-free options on the top shelf on their own platter and ensure you have dedicated tongs to avoid any cross-contamination.”
Furthering this, it’s important to have designated tools and equipment for gluten-free meals. Di Bella’s example is fried food. “If you have any on the menu,” she says, “it is essential to have
a dedicated gluten-free fryer as gluten does not dissolve nor is it destroyed at high temperatures.”
CHANGING OPINIONS
Demand for gluten-free food
is certainly higher today than ten to 15 years ago, when the people looking for such options were primarily those with coeliac disease. And while the numbers of sufferers have increased significantly, there are other factors at play.
For Di Bella, they include the fact that “more people believe that gluten makes them feel sick or that their doctor recommends a gluten-free diet. There are also
people who feel that a gluten- free diet is healthier.”
With the increase in demand, gluten-free no longer means travelling long distances for a simple meal of grilled steak and steamed veggies or salad without dressing.
“Its definitely changed over the years,” agrees Galloway, “but working in hospitality it’s our role to acknowledge the changes and to work with diners the best we can to give them exceptional experiences. Just because people have certain food allergies shouldn’t mean they should never eat out. If anything, it allows our cuisine team to be more creative.”
But the recent and fast increase in awareness has also had a negative knock-on effect.
Di Bella reveals, “This rapid growth, unfortunately, has seen the gluten-free request being treated more as a lifestyle choice rather than as an allergen. A recent article in The Medical Journal of Australia reported
9 per cent of businesses sampled in the City of Melbourne had detectable levels of gluten in their gluten-free menu items. I urge all businesses to treat any gluten-free request seriously.”
Clockwise: Nicole Galloway (centre) with Chula co-owner Peter Lew and bar manager Reece Griffiths; lamb birria with mole sauce, radish, pickled onion and cilantro; and ‘pulpo al pastor’, octopus with pineapple, pico de gallo, and cilantro.
So to simply understand that it is critical for the sufferers is a great place to start.”
From there, she says it’s important to read about gluten- free dining and to research recipes. “Look at where you can eliminate and replace ingredients without compromising flavour. Use your test kitchen as a playground to cook and eat it. Of course venture out and look at what other people are doing too.”
In terms of organising your kitchen, Di Bella recommends the use of visual cues. “Using a different shaped or patterned
PHOTOGRAPHY: KAI LEISHMAN