Calling out fake allergies

I've received some annoyed looks from waiting staff when I ask about gluten free options when eating at restaurants.

Used to own a coffee shop and gluten free food is annoying. Mainly because it has a really bad shelf life, and because you have to be so so so careful about cross contamination, it takes a lot of effort to prepare and as you've said, it's expensive to keep stocked (especially with the short shelf lives, it's annoying if it doesn't sell). That's probably why they seem a bit irritated about the extra precautions that are needed, although it never bothered me personally. It must be frustrating seeing people jump on the gluten-free hype, when you're genuinely allergic to it.

Patrick Friesen, the head chef at Queen Chow, "has some words for vegetarians who 'love a chicken wing'"..



The chef has called out people's 'fake food allergies' and shared an image on his Instagram which showed orders with conflicting allergies and dietary requirements..

The post was accompanied by:

"Can people with dietary requirements start knowing what you can and can’t eat? Shellfish allergy but loves oyster sauce. Gluten free but loves gluten as long as it’s not a piece of bread. Vegetarians that love a chicken wing. Pescatarians who eat chicken. Sort your **** out and let your waiter know. You make it really damn hard for people with actual allergies and dietaries to go out to eat."

The post attracted a lot of comments from people who were celiac and have food allergies, who said that people who 'fake' their dietary requirements make it harder for those who have the to go out and eat.


What do you guys think about this? Do you have food allergies? Or have you ever said you have when you don't / know someone who has?

Coeliac, so I can't eat anything gluten, and oh my god is gluten free food expensive.

Agreed. But most people who are "gluten intolerant" are not coeliac and are almost certainly taking a leaf out of this chap's book

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798

Not quite sure what you're getting at here?

People who have coeliac disease can not neat gluten. If they do, the either die or nearly die. Gluten intolerance is one of a host of modern conditions primarily put forward by self interested wanna-be celebrity dietitians and the marketing departments of companies that manufacture and distribute gluten free foods. It is generally based on pseudo science that sounds plausible but has no grounding in evidence.

"Do you feel bloated after eating? You must be gluten intolerant. Buy our over inflated gluten free products... blah blah blah."

There is no clinical condition called gluten intolerance. It lies firmly in the realms of Gillian McKeith, free foods, natural foods, super foods, liectin free, melon diets, cabbage soup diets and so on.

People who have coeliac disease can not neat gluten. If they do, the either die or nearly die. Gluten intolerance is one of a host of modern conditions primarily put forward by self interested wanna-be celebrity dietitians and the marketing departments of companies that manufacture and distribute gluten free foods. It is generally based on pseudo science that sounds plausible but has no grounding in evidence.

"Do you feel bloated after eating? You must be gluten intolerant. Buy our over inflated gluten free products... blah blah blah."

There is no clinical condition called gluten intolerance. It lies firmly in the realms of Gillian McKeith, free foods, natural foods, super foods, liectin free, melon diets, cabbage soup diets and so on.

What a load of crap. I used to be wheat intolerant (yes, I know it's not quite the same) and couldn't eat wheat without having an upset stomach. I'm fine now.

I do have an allergy. Goodness knows what it actually is though. Not worked it out; but have mostly managed to avoid it.