For some, it's a fad. For others, it's a necessity. Whatever the reason, eating gluten-free is big.
About 30 percent of American adults are trying to reduce or eliminate gluten from their diets, research firm NPD found in 2013. And they're searching for gluten-free items on restaurant menus, the same study found: the frequency of customers ordering gluten-free food had doubled since 2009. Offering a gluten-free menu in your restaurant can be a lucrative decision, but also challenging to execute.
Kendra Murden, a restaurant owner in Richmond, Virginia, was diagnosed with a gluten allergy a few years ago. That prompted her to begin offering gluten-free desserts and dishes at all three of her restaurants: hip vegetarian spot Ipanema Cafe, nostalgic corner cafe Garnett's, and The Roosevelt, an award-winning destination for new Southern cuisine. She shares her advice for launching a gluten-free menu for both casual and fine-dining establishments.
Servers need training on gluten sensitivity
"Some people just don't get it," Murden says. A server will hear a customer say she doesn't eat gluten, and then ask if she wants cake. The basics: Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Corn, rice and oats do not contain gluten. In people with the immune disorder celiac disease, gluten causes inflammation of the small intestine, severe gastrointestinal symptoms, and weight loss. Gluten sensitivity is a broader term that describes adverse reactions some people have after eating foods with gluten. Others choose to give up foods with gluten for health purposes, even if they don't have symptoms of sensitivity.
Even a crumb can cause problems
For people with celiac disease, there's no safe amount of gluten. Even a tiny amount may trigger a bad reaction. A restaurant offering dishes labeled gluten-free must put in place strict procedures to prevent cross-contamination, including separate cutting boards, knives, toasters and even fryers.
Start with lunch
"It's really hard for people with gluten allergies to have lunch," Murden says. Salads are often their only option. For that reason, a gluten-free lunch menu may be a good way for restaurants to gauge interest among their customers. Murden suggests subbing gluten-free pasta for regular pasta and offering sandwiches on gluten-free bread. "That's so easy," she says, as long as a separate toaster is designated gluten-free.
Watch out for “stealth gluten”
Going gluten-free isn't as simple as avoiding bread. Condiments, seasonings and salad dressings all may have trace amounts of wheat or other grains that are easy to miss. For instance, Murden says, the pepper sauce sriracha is gluten-free, but KimKim sauce is not. Other gluten-containing ingredients to watch out for:
- Malt flavoring in salad dressings, marinades and malt vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce (substitute tamari sauce, which is gluten free)
- Breadcrumbs (substitute crushed gluten-free crackers)
- Flour-based roux (use cornstarch as the base instead)
A detailed list of foods containing gluten is available from the Celiac Disease Foundation.
Gluten-free and vegan go together
A vegan and gluten-free diet sounds restrictive, but many food bloggers say otherwise. Murden's restaurant Ipanema offers an abundance of vegan dishes that are also gluten-free, such as mushroom risotto balls, Korean-style rice dumplings with shiitake-ginger sauce, and tikka masala.
Clear labeling is essential
The best thing a restaurant can do for its gluten-sensitive guests, Murden says, is to simply "tell everyone the truth about how you're running your kitchen." While certain entrees may be labeled GF, she advises placing a disclaimer on the menu that the kitchen facilities are not gluten-free. Restaurant staff should be forthright about how dishes are prepared and be able to talk with customers about their needs. In the end, she says, "people have to make their own choices about what they're willing to risk."
*********
Have tips to share about offering a gluten-free menu or running a gluten-free kitchen? If you have an interesting story about your offerings, some recipes you would like to share with the rest of the HBC community, or an intriguing customer service experience to share, we would love to hear from you. The best stories will reference your name and your establishment, and could garner you some national or even international publicity. Please share your stories here.
