New World Ordering
Gourmet Traveller|October 2020
Vegan, coeliac, no soy – and hold the onions, please. How do chefs find catering to diners’ dietary restrictions and allergies? LEE TRAN LAM investigates.
New World Ordering

The diner was allergic to anything starting with the letter “A”. Chef Louis Tikaram was working at Tetsuya’s in Sydney when the request appeared. “Is she allergic to aubergine, but eggplant is okay?” he asked. After all, they’re the same thing.

Shannon Martinez, who runs Melbourne’s Smith & Daughters, remembers a waiter telling her someone was allergic to “shiny” food. “I thought I’d heard everything,” says the chef. She walked up to the wine-sipping diner for clarification. “Those grapes that made the wine you’re drinking were shiny at one point and there’s a shimmer on top of that wine right now!” she said.

Despite these extreme examples, chefs are aware that legitimate allergies must be taken seriously. Brent Savage, who co-owns Sydney’s Bentley, Monopole, Yellow and Cirrus, has seen how physically debilitating a food allergy can be – his sister can’t process gluten. “If she even eats the smallest amount, she’ll be vomiting; she’ll be sick for 24 hours,” he says. “I have seen how ill it can make somebody.”

It’s why Peter Gilmore is so inclusive at Quay in Sydney, where he offers 12 different versions of his tasting menu. If you’re lactose-intolerant, coeliac, vegan or allergic to nuts, you can still sit down to a meticulously executed meal by the harbour. Gilmore’s welcoming attitude is a reflection of diner demand. “Over the last 10 years, dietary restrictions have increased every year,” he says. In fact, it’s gone from being a rarity to 10 per cent of all diners at Quay.

Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA GOURMET TRAVELLERSe alt
From personal experience
Gourmet Traveller

From personal experience

Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.

time-read
8 mins  |
September 2024
Kimberley Moulton
Gourmet Traveller

Kimberley Moulton

Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Tom Wallace
Gourmet Traveller

Tom Wallace

We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Best in class
Gourmet Traveller

Best in class

The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
A taste of refuge
Gourmet Traveller

A taste of refuge

Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
BE OUR GUEST
Gourmet Traveller

BE OUR GUEST

Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
Barcelona BUZZ
Gourmet Traveller

Barcelona BUZZ

A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
HEATHCOTE BOUND
Gourmet Traveller

HEATHCOTE BOUND

MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
The art of...relishing restaurants
Gourmet Traveller

The art of...relishing restaurants

Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
HEART AND SOUL
Gourmet Traveller

HEART AND SOUL

Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024