Two men walked into the restaurant this afternoon and the first thing one of them said was “I’m not sure I can eat here. I’m allergic to wheat.” I offered them a seat, presented them with menus, and headed to the kitchen for help. Whenever someone comes in and says they have special dietary needs or allergies, I head straight for the head chef (who also happened to be the dishwasher today). Steve came out and spoke with the gentleman. We make almost everything we serve from scratch, so we know everything that goes into any given menu item. After a fairly lengthy review, he decided on beef stew. No biscuit or roll, since even white bread is made with wheat.
I asked him if he had been allergic all his life. He said he was diagnosed a year ago with Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present.
You just never know what things you’re going to learn when you engage your customers in conversation!
The other gentleman enjoyed a Caesar salad and a bowl of clam chowder, and they were both delighted with their meals as well as the very personalized service.
As for me, I continued to snack on my Shepherd’s Pie. It was a great day for comfort food!
— Mary
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