Guests ask what dishes are like and whether they contain something they can't eat. Use your menu knowledge for taste questions, but allergen questions always go to the kitchen or the allergen matrix, a chart of the main allergens in each dish (for example the 14 declared in the EU and UK; other countries have their own lists).
Why it matters
Good descriptions help guests choose. A wrong answer about an allergen can cause a serious, even fatal, reaction.
Key ideas
Describe, don't recite
'Slow-cooked lamb with a light mint sauce' helps far more than reading the menu aloud.
Allergy versus preference
A preference is a choice; an allergy can make someone seriously ill. Treat every mention of an allergy as serious.
Cross-contact
When an allergen gets into food by accident, for example from a shared fryer or spoon.
Step by step
- 1
Ask exactly what the guest needs to avoid.
- 2
Check the allergen matrix or ask the chef.
- 3
Tell the guest what the kitchen confirmed, including any cross-contact risk.
- 4
Flag the allergy on the order.
- 5
Name the dish as you serve it.
Do
- Taste dishes so your descriptions are honest.
- Offer an alternative when a dish isn't suitable.
- Follow your venue's policy and local rules.
Common mistakes
- Don't guess. Always check with the kitchen.
- Don't judge a dish by its name alone.
- Don't forget sauces, dressings and cooking oils.
The situation
A guest asks, 'Does the chicken curry have peanuts? I'm allergic.'
What a professional does
'Let me check with the chef.' The chef confirms the curry paste contains peanuts and suggests the grilled chicken. You explain this, mention that peanuts are used in the kitchen, and flag the allergy.
Useful phrases
“Let me check that with the chef for you.”
“Our kitchen uses nuts, so we can't rule out traces.”
Pro tip
Check the allergen matrix for changes at every pre-shift briefing.
Quick check
You are fairly sure a dish is gluten-free. What do you do?
Think about it, then show the answer
Check with the chef or the allergen matrix first, because 'fairly sure' is not safe.