Orders that Patrick Friesen's kitchen staff have had to deal with on a daily basis. Photo / Instagram
Orders that Patrick Friesen's kitchen staff have had to deal with on a daily basis. Photo / Instagram
Chefs are growing increasingly frustrated as more and more picky customers claim to suffer life-threatening allergies so they can order customised meals.
Award-winning Sydney Asian eatery Queen Chow chef Patrick Friesen believes chefs are being lied to by people who are simply on a diet.
Friesen took to social mediato vent about the new fad, uploading a photo of the food demands that his kitchen is flooded with on a daily basis.
"Can people with dietary requirements start knowing what you can and can't eat?" the post read.
"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 s**t 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 head chef told the Daily Telegraph his rant was inspired by his mother who is a coeliac disease sufferer and has an intolerance to wheat, rye, barley and oats.
But there are fears genuine sufferers' pleas for special dietary meals won't be taken seriously.
Maria Said, of Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, told the Telegraph the large spike in customised meal requests has led to a kitchen culture in which chefs can become complacent to genuine allergies.
She said any slip-up could kill an anaphylatix person, however she believes chefs are in a no win situation.
Finding answers is difficult. Short of chefs asking people if they are carrying an EpiPen to determine if they have a genuine allergy, there's nothing that can be done.
"People need to know that an aversion to brussels sprouts is not an allergy to brussels sprouts. But these demands happen all the time and it's a big problem."
Social media responded to Friesen's rant, with many people siding with the disgruntled chef.
"Allergic to the 20th century. please stay home," one person wrote.
"I would have considered it too hard and just packed my bags and gone home, its getting silly now...." another said.
"Nightmare diners who have no clue how damaging their preferences ("allergy") can be for those with genuine allergies who must be taken seriously. Educate yourselves, you idiots!"
