Page 32 - foodservice magazine June 2019

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TPRRAODFEILTEALK
80 per cent of Bea’s menu is gluten free.
Getting the accreditation wasn’t easy, he says; it took roughly three months of trials and tests, extra staff training, an onsite compliance audit and a significant financial investment. But the money spent has been built back into the menu to increase A25’s bottom line.
“Gluten-free raw products are nearly double the price of normal products and so our prices are slightly higher. We sort of just cover our costs and still work on normal margins. I think it’s fair, to give coeliacs a competitive price in order for them to enjoy and afford eating out.”
The reason for A25’s accreditation was Nicolini’s wife’s coeliac diagnosis seven years ago. Since then, he started taking cross contamination very seriously.
“I didn’t go down this path of the accreditation to gain more customers meaning more profit, I did this clearly to give coeliacs the reassurance that they won’t have any consequences by eating at our restaurants – a reassurance that my wife and I don’t get 99 per cent of the time we eat out.”
The increase in sales, which he says has been dramatic, is a “bonus”.
Now he says all restaurants ought to embrace gluten-free customers, “because more and more people are being diagnosed
“80 per cent of Bea’s menu is gluten free. When we design a menu, we’re conscious of making sure that it’s inclusive of anyone and everyone. It’s less about offering alternatives and more about creating a menu that is already friendly to a range of dietaries.”
coeliac disease everyday, and there so many people out there that don’t even know they have it. It takes a lot effort but it can be done.”
Limited produce, less flavour or low capacity are no longer excuses for inflexibility.
“It’s a challenge, but a creative and necessary challenge for the modern day chef,” says Hansford.
Try puffing rice, tapioca or even beef tendon instead of using wheat-based crackers. Experiment with onion and garlic free sauces. Bake with olive oil instead of butter. Build dishes around vegetables that are so delicious no one notices the lack of meat.
As Haynes said, it’s about flexibility, and flexing your creative muscle. “People with dietaries make up a huge portion of diners these days, so there’s no point isolating them. It’s up to us as a venue to make sure they feel comfortable and welcome.”
PHOTOGRAPHY: NIKKI TO.