Why not make the LRA your provider for food safety and sanitation, alcohol server training

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) is the largest provider of food safety and sanitation and alcohol server training in the state. Members of the LRA receive significant discounts on these state-mandated training courses. Are you taking advantage of the convenience and savings?

ServSafe Manager, the eight-hour course is offered to members at just $109, compared to the non-member price of $160. Classes are offered at numerous locations across the state and year around. The cost includes study material, the in-person course and testing materials in a proctored setting. To date, the LRA has trained over 30,000 foodservice professionals in ServSafe Manager and the course is regarded as the gold standard for the industry.

ServSafe Alcohol training is available online, 24-7; anywhere the individual has access to a PC and an internet connection. The LRA was the first to offer the state-mandated, two hour course online.  Members receive special pricing of just $24 with the a special discount code (call the LRA for the code), while non-members pay $30. The LRA’s Louisiana’s BEST (Beverage Education Server Training) private classes are still available upon request. Call the LRA for details or to schedule your in house alcohol server course at (504) 454-2277.

Voluntary courses are also offered online for ServSafe Allergens and ServSafe Food Handler. More than 15 million Americans have food allergies and the trend is growing each year. Allergens training can help you serve those guests with food allergies safely and gain their repeat business. Food Handler is a two-hour course covering the basics of food safety and sanitation for your front of the house and back of the house staff.

ServSafe Allergens is just $22 and ServSafe Food Handler is just $15. 

For more information, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277 or visit www.lra.org. 

Begin at the beginning: Identifying gluten-free ingredients

Ensuring that a menu-item is gluten-free starts with getting the right ingredients. 

“There has to be an emphasis on gluten-free ingredients as a foundation,” says dietician Lauren Rezende, a quality assurance manager for Healthy Dining. The San Diego-based company helps restaurants with nutrition-related services, including gluten identification.

Here are some tips for identifying and sourcing gluten-free items.    

Check the label. All packaged foods labeled gluten-free must meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration’s gluten-free labeling final rule as of Aug. 5, 2014. The final rule establishes a standard definition of gluten-free to help consumers with celiac disease avoid gluten.

“The FDA has finally drawn a line about what it means to say an item is gluten-free,” says Betsy Craig, CEO of MenuTrinfo, a Fort Collins, Co.-based consultancy that provides gluten-free training and certification to restaurants. “This definition will take away some of the guesswork of selecting safe products.”

The rule also requires packaged foods with the claims “no gluten,” “free of gluten” and “without gluten” to meet the definition for “gluten-free.” (Note that products labeled prior to Aug. 5, 2014, weren’t required to comply with the rule.)

Some manufacturers also certify their products as gluten-free through organizations such as the Gluten-Free Certification Program, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization or Quality Assurance International/NSF International. All require certified products to have less than 10 parts per million of gluten, and the Celiac Support Association requires less than 5 ppm. The FDA’s gluten-free labeling rule sets the threshold at 20 ppm.

“Third-party verification shows that the manufacturer went the extra mile to provide a truly gluten-free product,” Craig says.

Request gluten-free verification. Checking labels is a great first step, but you’ll often need to look beyond that. Just because the label doesn’t specify the item is gluten-free doesn’t mean it isn’t. In fact, many items are inherently gluten-free, like produce and meat, but aren’t labeled so. Gluten-free labeling is voluntary, according to the FDA’s gluten-free labeling final rule.

Manufacturers also don’t have to indicate whether an item contains gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. The Food Allergy Labeling Consumer Protection Act requires only wheat be identified because it’s a common allergen.

“If you’re just looking for wheat in an allergen statement or as an ingredient on a label, you’re potentially missing hidden sources of gluten, most likely derived from barley,” says Beckee Moreland, director of the Gluten-Free Resource Education and Awareness Training Kitchens program of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

The safest approach is to ask your supplier to verify an item is gluten-free because many gluten sources aren’t readily identified in the ingredient list. Beware of vague ingredient descriptions like “flavorings.”

“When in doubt, it’s always best to contact the manufacturer or vendor to get more information,” dietitian Rezende says. Request a written statement that verifies ingredients are gluten-free, or ask for a certificate of analysis, she recommends. Restaurants that need help tracking and monitoring this information can contract with companies like Healthy Dining or MenuTrinfo.

Partner with your suppliers. Make sure your distributors understand your commitment to offering gluten-free dishes, so they can help identify appropriate products. “There are so many gluten-free options available today that vendors can help you swap out items easily,” Rezende says. She cites gluten-free salad dressings and marinades as examples.

Ask to be informed whenever a product is modified, and request written reconfirmation at least quarterly, Rezende recommends. Those updates are essential not just for gluten identification but also for nutrition information and allergen concerns. “For the safety of your customers, you need to make sure that all the information you’re providing on site and on your website is up to date,” she says.

Limit substitutions. Although one brand of soy sauce might be gluten-free, that doesn’t mean another is. Problems can occur when a distributor temporarily runs out of the carefully selected gluten-free sauce and makes a last-minute substitution to a non-gluten-free brand. “We recommend that operators request that no substitutions be made without notice,” says the NFCA’s Moreland.

Institute proper receiving protocols. Empower your receiving employees to take their work seriously. If they mistakenly accept an incorrect product, it could potentially endanger your guests’ health. “Those who receive shipments should be educated to recognize gluten-free products and ingredients,” says Moreland.

Establish and adhere to receiving procedures that prevent gluten-containing ingredients and allergens from making their way into dishes. “Closely monitor what you order versus what you receive,” recommends David Crownover, product manager for the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Allergens training course. “Checking your products and packing slips closely is not only a good safety measure, but it’s also a good business practice.”

The National Restaurant Association's Manage My Restaurant has articles in categories such as Marketing and Sales, Workforce Engagement, Food and Nutrition and Operations. Visit Manage My Restaurant here for this and other helpful tips.

Allergens focus of final lesson of National Food Safety Month

As September comes to an end, so does the 2014 National Food Safety Month, but food safety should be your focus every day as you run your restaurant. Each week in September, the Louisiana Restaurant Association has covered an important topic from ServSafe food safety and sanitation training course, using the theme, “20 Tips for 20 Years of National Food Safety Month.”  

Fifteen million Americans suffer from food allergies, so it is important for foodservice personnel to understand what the Big 8 are, how to avoid cross contact and how to identify an allergic reaction. The final lesson is about allergens and the Big 8.

A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein (food allergen). While more than 160 food items can cause allergic reactions, just eight of those accounts for 90 percent of all reactions. These eight foods are known as the “Big 8.” They are: tree nuts, peanuts, soy, egg, milk, fish, wheat and shellfish.

Cross-contact is the transfer of an allergen from a food containing the allergen to a food that does not contain the allergen. One of the most important ways you can keep guests with food allergies safe is by preventing cross-contact. Read steps to avoid cross-contact here.

The NRA and the LRA partner to offer ServSafe Allergens, an online, interactive 90-minute training course to assist restaurateurs and foodservice personnel in understanding and communicating the risks associated with serving guests with food allergies. The course is just $22 and can be accessed here.

Finally, there are six key symptoms of a food-allergic reaction. Below is a quiz you can do with your staff. The answer key can be found at www.foodsafetymonth.com.

The LRA is your provider for food safety and sanitation, alcohol server training

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) is the largest provider of food safety and sanitation and alcohol server training in the state. Members of the LRA receive significant discounts on these state-mandated training courses. Are you taking advantage of the convenience and savings?

ServSafe Manager, the eight-hour course is offered to members at just $109, compared to the non-member price of $160. Classes are offered at numerous locations across the state and year around. The cost includes study material, the in-person course and testing materials in a proctored setting. To date, the LRA has trained over 30,000 foodservice professionals in ServSafe Manager and the course is regarded as the gold standard for the industry.

ServSafe Alcohol training is available online, 24-7; anywhere the individual has access to a PC and an internet connection. The LRA was the first to offer the state-mandated, two hour course online.  Members receive special pricing of just $24 with the a special discount code (call the LRA for the code), while non-members pay $30. The LRA’s Louisiana’s BEST (Beverage Education Server Training) private classes are still available upon request. Call the LRA for details or to schedule your in house alcohol server course at (504) 454-2277.

Voluntary courses are also offered online for ServSafe Allergens and ServSafe Food Handler. More than 15 million Americans have food allergies and the trend is growing each year. Allergens training can help you serve those guests with food allergies safely and gain their repeat business. Food Handler is a two-hour course covering the basics of food safety and sanitation for your front of the house and back of the house staff.

ServSafe Allergens is just $22 and ServSafe Food Handler is just $15. 

For more information, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277 or visit www.lra.org. 

The LRA is your provider for food safety and sanitation, alcohol server training

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) is the largest provider of food safety and sanitation and alcohol server training in the state. Members of the LRA receive significant discounts on these state-mandated training courses. Are you taking advantage of the convenience and savings?

ServSafe Manager, the eight-hour course is offered to members at just $109, compared to the non-member price of $160. Classes are offered at numerous locations across the state and year around. The cost includes study material, the in-person course and testing materials in a proctored setting. To date, the LRA has trained over 30,000 foodservice professionals in ServSafe Manager and the course is regarded as the gold standard for the industry.

ServSafe Alcohol training is available online, 24-7; anywhere the individual has access to a PC and an internet connection. The LRA was the first to offer the state-mandated, two hour course online.  Members receive special pricing of just $24 with the a special discount code (call the LRA for the code), while non-members pay $30. The LRA’s Louisiana’s BEST (Beverage Education Server Training) private classes are still available upon request. Call the LRA for details or to schedule your in house alcohol server course at (504) 454-2277.

Voluntary courses are also offered online for ServSafe Allergens and ServSafe Food Handler. More than 15 million Americans have food allergies and the trend is growing each year. Allergens training can help you serve those guests with food allergies safely and gain their repeat business. Food Handler is a two-hour course covering the basics of food safety and sanitation for your front of the house and back of the house staff.

ServSafe Allergens is just $22 and ServSafe Food Handler is just $15. 

For more information, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277 or visit www.lra.org. 

Serving guests with food allergies safely can grow your business

Food allergy training has never been more important. More and more Americans are plagued with food allergies—15 million and growing every year. While there have been no reported deaths linked to food allergies in Louisiana restaurants according to research by the Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals (DHH), the need for more front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house staff to have the proper training will only become more necessary in the coming years.

Increasingly restaurants are becoming more aware of the potential for gaining new diners by offering gluten free menu options. Some even take the extra step of asking if any guests have food allergies when taking reservations or the server will ask the question when greeting a table of guests for a meal. But there is still room for improvement in communications between the front-of-the-house and the back-of-the-house to ensure that a guest actually is served a meal free of gluten or other foods a guest may have shared they are allergic to during the ordering process.

“Having taken ServSafe Allergens, I’m much more educated and aware of the challenges facing those with food allergies, especially one of my co-workers,” said Wendy Waren, VP of Communications, Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA). “In one case, my co-worker actually had to send back her entree because the garnish was flash fried. It’s something as small as the garnish that could have made her sick.”

That’s why the National Restaurant Association launched ServSafe Allergens. In partnership with the Food Allergy Research and Education Institute (FARE), the NRA’s ServSafe Allergens product is an online, interactive, 90-minute training course to assist restaurateurs and foodservice personnel in understanding and communicating the risks associated with serving guests with food allergies. The course is available in English and Spanish and is just $22 and can be accessed here. 

“I’m allergic to gluten and dairy,” said Olivia Watkins, Communications Director, DHH. “While dining at a restaurant recently, the server was able to answer my questions regarding menu items that did not contain gluten; however, she missed the mark on the dairy. The first bite of my dish tasted way too good and as my throat began to tighten, I knew that it had been made with butter.”

Recognizing the importance of serving guests with food allergies safely, the DHH included ServSafe Allergens as criteria for a restaurant to be designated a Well Spot as part of the Well-Ahead Louisiana campaign. Well-Ahead is a voluntary program promoting voluntary changes without imposing new taxes and creating new rules. Well-Ahead promotes and recognizes smart choices in the spaces and places we live and work every day, and dining out in restaurants play a significant role in how we enjoy our lives here in Louisiana.

“There are a number of restaurants that I can dine out at that can accommodate my gluten allergy,” said Sandy Riddle, EVP of Expositions, LRA. “I do have to really pay attention though to what is actually served. Thankfully, my husband and friends keep a close eye on my plate too.”

Riddle recently visited a chain restaurant that promotes that they cater to diners with celiac disease. However, during the ordering process, the server was unfamiliar with the gluten-free menu, as was her co-worker. Her and husband decided to pass on the restaurant as she felt it wasn’t worth the risk. There are huge online networks of people with celiac disease and other food allergies that commonly share information about those restaurants able to successfully accommodate these special needs. In Riddle’s experience, if the staff had been properly trained to handle her request, they would have gained her repeat business.

In a recent email to the LRA, a woman wrote that she was on vacation in New Orleans for the Jazz and Heritage Festival and unfortunately had to cut her trip two days short. Why? She has celiac disease and dined at a New Orleans restaurant, where the server assured her the meal she was being served was free of gluten. Unfortunately it wasn’t and she got sick as a result.

ServSafe Allergens is voluntary in the state of Louisiana; however, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, allergens training is required for individuals in foodservice. The LRA strongly encourages restaurants to take advantage of ServSafe Allergens, not only to serve their guests safely, but gain new and repeat business.

The LRA exists to help its members—the cornerstone of their communities—build customer loyalty, rewarding careers and financial success. By accommodating guests with food allergies, this is just one way restaurants can build customer loyalty. 

Use ServSafe for your food safety training requirements

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) just learned that a Utah company has been spamming Gulf South restaurateurs with deceptive calls referencing faulty required food safety and sanitation courses. A cease and desist was issued by ANSI through efforts of the National Restaurant Association as a result. The LRA is your state approved trusted resource for all food safety and sanitation, alcohol server, food handler and allergens training courses.

ServSafe Manager, the eight-hour course is required by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. ServSafe Alcohol Training Online is required by the Louisiana Alcohol Tobacco Control.  As a member of the LRA, you receive a significant discount on all ServSafe products, both required and voluntary:

REQUIRED:

ServSafe Manager

The Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals requires that at least one person per foodservice establishment complete the eight-hour food safety and sanitation course—ServSafe Manager. The comprehensive course blends the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience. The LRA is the largest training provider in the state for ServSafe Manager and LRA Members receive a significant discount. Classes are offered in person and available online here.

Upcoming ServSafe Classes (All classes are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Registered online here.

April 7, Quality Hotel, 210 S. Hollywood Road, Houma

April 28, The Chicory, 610 S. Peters St., New Orleans

May 5, Bossier Parish Community College, 6220 East Texas St., Bossier City

May 7, Courtyard By Marriott, 3830 Alexandria Mall Dr., Alexandria

May 13, Café Reconcile, 1634 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans

May 19, Juban’s Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge

May 20, South Louisiana Community College, 1101 Bertrand Dr., Lafayette

May 21, Sowela Technical Community College, 3820 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston Ave., Lake Charles

June 9, Alack Culinary Equipment, 17420 Hwy 190, Hammond

June 16, Chateau Country Club, 3600 Chateau Blvd., Kenner

June 23, Juban’s Restaurant, 3739 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge

June 24, South Louisiana Community College, 1101 Bertrand Dr., Lafayette

June 30, Boomtown Casino, 4132 Peters Rd., Harvey

ServSafe Alcohol Online

Launched last summer, ServSafe Alcohol Online training is the first of its kind in Louisiana and replaces the need for servers of alcoholic beverages to attend a class in person. The ATC mandated, two-hour ServSafe Alcohol Online course is available 24/7 anywhere servers have access to a PC and the internet. LRA members receive a 10 percent discount on the regular $30 cost.

VOLUNTARY:

ServSafe Food Handler

ServSafe Food Handler is designed to add an additional layer of protection for your restaurant’s patrons. The two-hour course is available online for just $15 and provides your staff with the basic knowledge they need to serve your guests in a safety and sanitary manner. 

ServSafe Allergens

The most recent product released by the LRA is ServSafe Allergens—a 90-minute online course developed to assist restaurant staff in serving the 15 million Americans with food allergies safely. This voluntary course teaches restaurant staff about the various food allergies and implications for guests, how to properly communicate with guests and other restaurant staff, and proper procedures for front and back of the house staff, avoiding cross contact, inventory and preparation controls and what to do in case of an emergency. With the increased demand for gluten-free menu options and other alterations, this course can help you become more trusted among diners with food allergies. The cost for LRA members is $19.80. 

If you receive a call of this type referenced above or have any questions, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277 today.  

SCAM ALERT: Oregon company calls to solicit sales for "mandated" food handler training

Restaurants across the Gulf South are the target of an Oregon company’s solicitation regarding “mandated” Food Handler training.  While the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) offers ServSafe Food Handler, a two-hour course on the basics of food safety and sanitation techniques, and best practices for front and back of the house restaurant personnel, it is NOT REQUIRED in Louisiana.

While this “SCAM” is relative to the term “mandated,” food safety and sanitation training is certainly not the issue. 

The Louisiana Dept. of Health and Hospitals requires that at least one person per foodservice establishment complete the eight-hour food safety and sanitation course—ServSafe Manager. The comprehensive course blends the latest FDA Food Code, food safety research and years of food sanitation training experience. The LRA is the largest training provider in the state for ServSafe Manager and LRA Members receive a significant discount. Classes are offered in person and available online here.

ServSafe Food Handler is designed to add an additional layer of protection for your restaurant’s patrons. The two-hour course is available online for just $15 and provides your staff with the basic knowledge they need to serve your guests in a safety and sanitary manner. While this is voluntary in Louisiana, in states like California is mandatory for all restaurant staff.

Launched last summer, ServSafe Alcohol Online training is the first of its kind in Louisiana and replaces the need for servers of alcoholic beverages to attend a class in person. The ATC mandated, two-hour ServSafe Alcohol Online course is available 24/7 anywhere servers have access to a PC and the internet. LRA members receive a 10 percent discount on the regular $30 cost.

The most recent product released by the LRA is ServSafe Allergens—a 90-minute online course developed to assist restaurant staff in serving the 15 million Americans with food allergies safely. This voluntary course teaches restaurant staff about the various food allergies and implications for guests, how to properly communicate with guests and other restaurant staff, and proper procedures for front and back of the house staff, avoiding cross contact, inventory and preparation controls and what to do in case of an emergency. With the increased demand for gluten-free menu options and other alterations, this course can help you become more trusted among diners with food allergies. The cost for LRA members is $19.80. Allergens training is not required in Louisiana, however in states like Massachusetts it is required of all restaurant staff.

For more info about the suite of ServSafe products, please call the LRA at (504) 454-2277. 

A message from LRA President/CEO Stan Harris

As the New Year gets underway, we have much to be grateful for in Louisiana. Our industry employs nearly 200,000 people and that number is projected to grow by nearly 25,000 by 2022. With the increase of visitors to our state and the support of our residents, the Louisiana restaurant industry is projected to achieve 2014 sales in excess of $7 billion for the first time. This is astonishing given that in 2004, our industry’s annual economic impact was just $4.2 billion. That’s a 40 percent increase in just nine years.   

The National Restaurant Association recently released its 2014 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast with locally sourced meats and seafood topping the list. The Louisiana Restaurant Association's work with fisheries issues and the Share the Gulf Coalition align closely with these initiatives. Other trends include locally grown produce, environmental sustainability, healthful kids’ meals and gluten-free cuisine.

To assist you in these areas, the NRA has three programs that you might consider—ServSafe Allergens, Kids LiveWell and Conserve. ServSafe Allergens is a 90-minute online training course to provide your management or chefs in how to serve the 15 million guests with food allergies safely. Kids LiveWell is a program focused on offering healthy options for kids when dining in your restaurant. It meets specific caloric, portion and fat contents. If you agree to participate in Kids LiveWell, your restaurant can be listed on the Kids LiveWell website that provides a resource to consumers seeking healthier options. Conserve is a free online resource to initiate and inspire actions that improve a company’s bottom line, but also are good for people and the planet. Be sure to visit the NRA’s Manage My Restaurant portal for more insightful tips to effective and efficient restaurant operations.

In addition, the LRA offers ServSafe Manager (the DHH mandated eight-hour training course in food safety and sanitation) and ServSafe Alcohol Online (the ATC mandatory two hour training course is available online for the first time in Louisiana). Visit the LRA website here to learn more about ServSafe.

The LRA Self Insurer’s Fund for Workers’ Compensation is pleased to return more than $2 million in surplus dividends in April 2014. They will be distributed to eligible members during the April LRA Chapter events. If you aren’t participating in the LRA SIF for your workers’ compensation needs, please allow us to quote your business. We can quote your workers’ comp directly through one of our LRA regional sales representatives or through your agent.

Finally, we know that as you operate your restaurant that employee issues create unique challenges. The LRA retains the firm of Fisher & Phillips to provide guidance and assist with any questions, concerns or problems you may be facing. Please call the LRA office and we will connect you with an attorney who can guide you through any employee questions. Utilizing this resource in advance usually produces good dividends in the form of a happy, engaged workforce.

We are here to help you become more successful and profitable in 2014 and beyond.

Happy New Year,

Stan Harris

Serving customers with food allergies good for business, restaurateurs say

For celebrity chef Ming Tsai, the birth of his son David propelled his interest in food allergens and accommodating customers with dietary restrictions.

“David is 13 years old,” Tsai told attendees at last month’s AllergyEats conference in Boston. “When he was born, he had allergies to soy, wheat, dairy, shellfish, tree nuts and eggs. I like to say it was an unfunny joke from upstairs that the first son of a chef had food allergies.”

Tsai, owner-operator of Blue Ginger and Blue Dragon, two upscale casual Asian restaurants in the Boston area, had allergen protocols in place two years before his son was born. But since then, he has become even more involved in the movement, ensuring his establishments can successfully cater to the needs of his customers with food allergies.

“Our goal is for the guest to leave delighted,” he said. “In a competitive market, the more concerned you are, the more likely you’ll get your fair share [of business]. I strongly believe it is smart business practice to know what is in the food you serve, period. Repeat business is key. If you can serve delicious food with great service safely, you’ve got them for life.”

Tsai and fellow panelists Kevin Harron, president and CEO of Burtons Grill Restaurants, and Michael Moomjiam, director of quality assurance and food safety for PF Chang’s China Bistro, parent of the PF Chang’s and Pei Wei Asian chains, addressed the issue of food allergies and restaurants during a session called “Restaurants That Get it Right.” The National Restaurant Association served as one of the conference’s sponsors.

When people head out to a restaurant, Tsai says, “The person with the food allergy is going to make the restaurant decision because it doesn’t matter to the others. To them, it’s just food, but for the one with the food allergy, it’s life or death.”

Tsai added that at Blue Ginger on a Saturday night, it is not uncommon for 20 tables to be dealing with food-allergy issues. He said at least 50 percent of them are gluten-related. To avoid mistakes, he has established a food allergy reference book where all recipes featuring wheat, dairy and eggs have been highlighted and listed out by dish, garnish, sauce, protein and marinade.

“It is so important to have a system in place,” he said. “That will greatly reduce human error. With this manual, you can easily know what is in the dish. With this and training, training, training, you can make your restaurant even safer than it is today.”

At PF Chang’s, creating a loyal customer base starts with ensuring guests with allergies will be taken care of, Moomjiam said.

“It starts with the message, ‘We’re truly glad you’re here,’ and we will do everything to make you want to come back,” he said. “Our goal is to have loyal guests know we will take care of them, and taking care of those who have dietary restrictions is part of that.”

The company started its food allergens program in 2001 and had a dedicated gluten-free menu by 2003. The chain’s restaurants currently have 25 gluten-free choices on the menu.

“We’ve gotten a lot of good PR on how we go above and beyond,” he said. “Being allergen-friendly has definitely increased our business. Right now 5 percent of all checks are food-allergen related and 90 percent of those are gluten-free [requests].”

He added that allergen information collected from guests is entered into a database and cross-checked against menu items and ingredients that are updated every two weeks.

“If a guest tells the manager of his or her sensitivities, the manager can go to the back of the house, type in the information and check off the items the guests cannot have. With this, we can create a custom menu for the guest.”

He also said each restaurant has separate woks set aside for allergen dishes that are cleaned and sanitized between each use. The company also audits ingredients as well as random products for gluten levels.

Harron, who’s had celiac disease for 43 years, said dealing with food allergies can be challenging for restaurants, but it is necessary.

“As the leader of your organization, you need to make the decision to raise your baseline performance,” he said. “I think everyone in our organization recognizes there is value to this and it’s the right thing to do.”

The National Restaurant Association offers restaurateurs a ServSafe Allergens Online Course designed to help front- and back-of-the-house employees better accommodate the growing number of guests with food allergies.

10 popular gluten-free menu ideas

The numbers don't lie. As many as 3 million Americans are living with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease where the immune system reacts to consumption of a protein called gluten. The condition causes inflammation in the digestive tract that can damage the small intestine and lead to the body being unable to absorb essential nutrients.

Left untreated, the disorder can put sufferers at greater risk of developing additional health complications, including other autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, thyroid abnormalities, and, in some extreme cases, cancer.

For those living with celiac disease, the only way to effectively manage the condition is a gluten-free diet. This means avoiding all foods that contain gluten, typically found in wheat, rye, barley or cross-bred hybrids of those grains. This type of diet may sound straight-forward, but is actually difficult to follow.  

For restaurateurs, serving guests with celiac disease can get complicated. Preventing cross-contamination is a critical part of the process. Restaurateurs also should be aware that the Food and Drug Administration recently laid out new rules for restaurateurs who use the term "gluten-free" or similar terms to market menu items. According to the FDA’s rule, items labeled as gluten-free must meet all the requirements of the new, legal definition. Under this definition, any menu item marketed as gluten-free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.

With the proper precautions, restaurateurs have several ways to ensure that celiac customers can safely enjoy eating at their favorite restaurants. Following are some tips to ensure a safe, gluten-free dining experience for your customers:

• Read labels carefully and check all ingredients used to prepare gluten-free menu items.
• Work with your suppliers to identify and verify  that their products truly are gluten free.
• Ensure protocols are in place to handle and prepare gluten-free options.
• Ensure your staff is properly trained in preparing and serving gluten-free foods.

To further protect your guests’ health and well-being, always double-check any gluten-free menu items you offer. Take care with all ingredients, not just flour or wheat based products. Many prepared items, like French fries, battered shrimp and deli meats, and ingredients such as sauces, gravies and even nonstick sprays, may have gluten in them. They may also be produced with equipment that has been used to manufacture other foods that contain gluten. That presents a risk of cross-contamination, which will nullify your gluten-free claim.

Now that you know what to prepare for, here are 10 popular gluten-free ideas to try on your menu:

Appetizers

• Rice crackers with cheese – There are lots of great gluten-free cracker options available on the market, many of them made with rice. These are tasty and can be a great item to use as an appetizer.
• Guacamole with corn tortilla chips – Be sure to check ingredients in the chips to ensure there is nothing in them containing gluten, although tortilla chips, in general, tend to be gluten free.
• Fresh veggies and dip - This is another great option to have on hand, and it’s healthful, too. Be sure to check the ingredients of the dip to ensure there are no gluten-based flavoring agents.

Soups

• Pureed winter squash soup.– Squash soup is a good bet because once the squash is cooked you can simply puree the soup for a thick, hearty mid-winter dish and avoid using flour as a thickening agent. You can also choose to use gluten-free flour as a thickener.
• Chicken soup with rice noodles ‑ Most suppliers today carry some great rice noodles. Alternatively, you could prepare dumplings made with a gluten-free flour mix. Always double check there is no gluten in the stock.

Main Dishes

• Tacos – Use pork or any of your favorite kinds of meats or grilled veggies, but make sure you use corn tortillas only. Check to make sure the tortillas do not contain wheat or other gluten-filled flour.
• Rice pasta with red sauce  ‑ Rice pasta is a surprisingly good substitute for regular wheat or semolina pasta. Red sauce is a good bet because unlike a white sauce, it generally doesn’t contain flour.
• Beans and rice – Notice a rice theme? Rice is a great way to provide carbohydrates to people with celiac disease. Beans are another delicious way to achieve a similar flavor profile.

Desserts

• Flourless chocolate cake –These cakes or tortes are some of the best treats around and no flour is required in the recipe.
• Crème brulee or flan ‑ These delicious desserts are typically made with copious amounts of eggs and milk products, and without flour.

To learn how to serve customers with food allergies, visit the NRA’s ServSafe Allergens online course.

Because the number of diners requesting gluten-free foods is on the rise, your ability to accommodate them will not only allow you to serve them more effectively, but also help grow your customer base exponentially. That party of eight with the one gluten-free diner will choose your restaurant over any others just to satisfy that one person.  The best news is, once you put operating procedures into place and provide great service, you will see those customers ‑ and their friends – keep coming back for more.

This article was provided by National Restaurant Association partner MenuTrinfo and written by Betsy Craig, founder and CEO for MenuTrinfo.