[Pete]

Kuan, I agree and disagree with your statement that we are not bound by labelling laws. True we are not legally required to provide nutritional information or ingredients (or their amounts), but if you put that on your menu, voluntarilary, in many states you are required to be truefully to that information. Some states have very strict guidelines for labelling menu items "heart healthy" and other states will prosecute under "truth in advertising" laws. Unless you have a chemist and a nutrionalist on site, I would stay away from printing nutritional info on your menus.

[kuan]

You gotta good point Pete. I think we're bound by our conscience to be truthful in any case. Whether or not it's the law, we should try as hard as possible to adhere to what we say we do. I think "Heart Healthy" is a sort of trademark of the American Heart Association (AHA). I remember seeing a brochure a few years back about this. Must have found its way into the trash real quick. So anyway, it's my suspicion that if we want to put "Heart Healthy" on our menus, we need the approval of the AHA. Anyone care to confirm or deny this?

Kuan

[Pete]

I don't know if you need to have the approval of the AHA, but I know in Vermont (at least a few years ago) the state had certain guidelines that a restaurant had to follow if they wanted to use the term "heart healthy". Both sodium and fat had to be below a certain level, and you had to have the recipe reviewed by a licensed nutritionist or dietician (I don't remember which).

[Devotay]

I have had a number of potential "nightmare customers" turn themselves into dream customers by showing up with a little business card, usually prepared for them by their allergist, which details which items are bad and which are OK. They give these cards t the server, who pass them along to me, and I can tell them in 30 seconds 2 or 4 items they can have with no problem. As a Chef, I love these things. Wish I could find a way to encourge more people to do that.

On the flip side, about an hour from here there is a large University that specializes in Transcendentalism - levitation, the whole deal. I do not begrudge them their faith, far from it. But when the Maharishi instructs them to cut the ENTIRE allium family from their diets (that's no onion, garlic, shallot, chive, scallion, leek, etc) so that they can levitate properly, and then they come to my Mediterranean restaurants and ask what there is that does not contain any of that.... Well, I have to bite pretty hard on my lower lip to keep from replying "Tiramisu."

Peace,
kmf

[shroomgirl]

Love the card idea, it just makes good sense.

[lynne]

my 2 cents:

I do believe that the onus lies with the customer, BUT I think that we are obligated to label or list out ingredients that are a surprise or different from the norm. Servers should know what is in a product -- if I ask and they say "no" because they can't see it and it shows up on my plate - I get frustrated. I also think that is why a restaurant should have consisitancy within its own recipes. Ie the chicken noodle soup I get there on Monday should have the same ingredients as when I order it on Friday.

I have allergic reactions to walnuts, swiss cheese and eggplant and have a major aversion to bell peppers. I know what "should" be safe but....

A couple of examples:

The fudgy choclate torte that had no mention of the walnuts I'm allergic to... fudgy chocolate walnut torte would be a much better description.

The garlic aioli made with roasted red peppers (who would have known?)

Oil & Vinegar ordered for a salad -- the oil was walnut!

Hummus that was a combo of hummus and babaganoush -- the eggplant that was so unexpected ...

Pecan Brownies - filled with walnuts -- the server should have told us of the change...

With alcohol in a recipe, I make sure I always repeat the ingredient when serving...Amaretto peaches with... or X with a white wine beurre blanc... Is it redundant, yes, but I'd prefer that to being the one that creates a problem with a recovering addict.

In the meantime I protect myself and ask if the macadamia crusted bass with viniagrette contains walnut oil (yes) and if the tuna tartare with aioli is the red pepper one or not (depends on the whim of the day).

[Chef David Simpson]

Remember, healthy is better then butter!!!!

[Devotay]

Nothing is better than butter.

Peace,
kmf

[Chef David Simpson]

Well, it sounds good! Lol

[LABsDAD]

Just be aware that the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act which took effect 1/1/06 was enacted to label/describe to food preparers the contents of packaged foods. These labels list all of the eight major foods or food groups--milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans-- account for 90 percent of food allergies;
My story is about my milk allergic/asthmatic 11 year old daughter who nearly died from being served chicken soup containing milk. The server was directly and repeatedly told of the allergy and as well the manager, just prior to being served the soup...it's contents were clearly listed on a can of base CONTAINS MILK (refer to labeling Act). It is all that was ordered for her due to the worry asociated with"eating out"
What I would like to say is this; 2% of adults and 5% of infants have food allergies someone should target this sensitivity and provide an eating place that is "allergy aware". When these customers arrive have a trained member of the staff ask them details of their allergy and go from there. Be careful of cross contamination and stay recipe consistent, this is very marketable. Of course it would be a positive life changing event for those parents of allergic children and allergic adults as well. This practice can be well modeled after the Disney folks who are very allergy aware and always send a chef to the table to discuss the allergies, what restraunts are busier then these? Thanks for your time!

[Jayme]

I have seen restaurants that have adopted small logos next to the menu listings- ie, vegetarian item, may contain nuts, low-fat/heart healthy, etc... Perhaps that is an option for restaurants who wish to better service the needs of their customers without turning the menu (or waitstaff) into an ingredient label. But I feel it IS our responsibility to be sure that when we label a dish "vegetarian" that it actually IS- no chicken broth, gelatin (as in many sour creams), lard, etc. (My sister has been vegetarian for many years and I have learned to read labels when I prepare holiday family meals). But I do agree that it is the consumer's responsibility to notify or ask staff if there is something they need to avoid. We don't ask a grocery store to set up special "vegan isles" - if a person has particular food choices or allergies, they already know how to make the proper choices when shopping..... dining should be the same. We serve the general public and that is who should be primarily accomodated.

[Jayme]

Originally Posted by lynne

my 2 cents:

Hummus that was a combo of hummus and babaganoush -- the eggplant that was so unexpected ...
.

Lynne- Now THIS would be more a case of not knowing the menu item- Baba Ghanoush= eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, tahini- that would be a situation to ask what an unfamiliar term/item IS. Rather than the restaurant pulling a fast one. (now, the walnuts in the pecan brownie.... I'd have to complain!)

[Steve A]

I know I'm just beating a dead horse issue, but it comes down to personal responsibility.

We, as operators of food service business are there to make money. In order to do so we choose our route of the venture. Normally that means we sell to the largest number possible. That means, we sell to the 'average Joe.'

Those with allergies, health concerns of other sorts (fats, carbs, cholesterol, etc.), should be responsible for themselves.

My 2¢ and now I'll get off the soapbox.

Ciao,

[castironchef]

Originally Posted by Steve A

I know I'm just beating a dead horse issue, but it comes down to personal responsibility.

We, as operators of food service business are there to make money. In order to do so we choose our route of the venture. Normally that means we sell to the largest number possible. That means, we sell to the 'average Joe.'

Those with allergies, health concerns of other sorts (fats, carbs, cholesterol, etc.), should be responsible for themselves.

My 2¢ and now I'll get off the soapbox.

Ciao,

Well, SteveA, I'm afraid that your view of "personal responsibility" leads to a lack of you taking responsibility personally.

If someone with a food allergy comes into your restaurant and informs the staff of the allergy and is, nonetheless, served food than includes the allergan, your restaurant will be morally and financially responsible. (So much for just being there "to make money.")

Selling food to real live people carries with it a whole lot of responsiblity, which we all need to take personally.

[tcapper]

Hi guys not completely related but worth a read.

http://www.chefsworld.net/chefs_foru...=1&FTID=f1o%3D

Check out the Reply !

www.chefsworld.net