A customer died at a restaurant I consulted with. Not from food poisoning, not from contamination—an allergen. The customer told the server about their shellfish allergy. The server wrote it down. The kitchen never saw the note. The dish contained shrimp stock. That $3 million lawsuit would have been prevented by proper allergen management protocols.
The Big 9 Allergens
- Milk: Including butter, cheese, whey
- Eggs: Including mayonnaise, some pasta
- Fish: Including Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing
- Shellfish: Including stock, broth
- Tree nuts: Including pesto, some oils
- Peanuts: Including many Asian sauces
- Wheat: Including soy sauce, some broths
- Soybeans: Including oil, lecithin
- Sesame: Including tahini, some oils
Building Allergen-Safe Systems
Menu Design
Your menu should clearly identify allergens. Use a consistent system—whether that's icons, footnotes, or a separate allergen menu.
Communication Protocol
- Servers must ask about allergies
- All allergy modifications go directly to the kitchen verbally
- Kitchen must acknowledge and confirm allergy orders
- Use a dedicated allergy order ticket when possible
Preparation Protocols
- Use dedicated allergy equipment when possible
- Clean and sanitize surfaces thoroughly
- Wash hands between orders
- Never cross-contaminate with allergens
Staff Training
Every front and back of house staff needs allergen training:
- What the Big 9 are
- How to take allergy orders
- What "may contain" vs. "contains" means
- What to do if uncertain
Related Articles
