Feeding the Flocks

[bjarvis]

We have a very pressing deadline to tell our convention hotel how many kosher meals we'll need for the banquet and brunch in April. Apparently, local suppliers have been closing due to the recession and the remaining suppliers are over-stressed, especially since our convention lands on passover.

While totalling up the necessary kosher meals (about 10), I looked into the various other dietary requirements for our registered attendees. Fully 10% of the registrants have dietary issues of some kind, about double what I would have predicted.


Allergic to bell peppers, cucumbers
allergic to dairy, caffeine
Allergic to mushrooms
Allergic to seafood
Allergic to shellfish
Allergic to tomatoes
gluten and dairy free
Gluten intolerant, sugar free
Gluten intolerant
Gluten intolerant
Gluten intolerant
lactose intolerant
lactose intolerant
lactose intolerant
lactose intolerant
lactose intolerant
low carb
low carb
low cholesterol
Low Fat
Low salt
Low Sodium
low sugar
No cashews, dairy
No cheese
No cheese
No cilantro
No coconut
No mushrooms
No mushrooms
no onion
no tuna
Non-dairy, no mammal, no fish
Not attending banquet
Organic, non-genetically altered, produce, grains, fish, fowl and meats.
Raw, living organic vegan
Sugar free dessert
Sugar free dessert
Sugar free dessert
Uncooked vegetarian/kosher
Vegan
vegan
Vegan
Vegan
Vegan


I would never make it in event management. I work in a commodity world: having to develop so many different customized meals for so many people would drive me nuts. I would have thrown up my arms long ago and let everyone fend for themselves as best they can because I can barely keep up with my own issues that I resist inheriting everyone else's. It's a good thing for everyone I work in another field.

Comments

[cuyahogarvr.livejournal.com]

Ummmm..... I don't see vegetarian on that list???

[urbear]

The kosher food problem does exist, and a large part of it is due to the closing of a major kosher meat processing plant that was raided for employing illegal immigrants. In any case, there are varying degrees of kosher, depending on how serious the diner is about it. At the most extreme, they wouldn't dream of eating anything outside their own homes (or the homes of trusted friends) under any circumstances. One notch below that, you'd need to provide the meal in sealed, disposable containers, with disposable cutlery, embellished with a seal from a reputable authority; they may loosen up a bit if they're told that the event is at a hotel whose kitchen is under the supervision of the local rabbinical council or a similarly certified caterer. Note that "kosher" does not necessarily imply "good"... in fact, the opposite is often true, and the diners know it, so if after the fact you hear complaints about the quality feel free to dismiss them.

As for that list... well, I don't doubt that many of the restrictions listed are genuine (and I know you have personal experience with at least one of them), but I'm pretty sure that at least a few of them are just screwing with you. You can't be expected to satisfy everyone, nor should you try.

"No onion"? "No cilantro"? Those are preferences, not restrictions. Some people have a genetic trait that makes cilantro taste unpleasant, but it's not going to hurt them.

Vegan, I can understand and respect, but "organic, non-genetically altered, produce, grains, fish, fowl and meats"? "Raw, living organic vegan"? "Uncooked vegetarian/kosher"? Oh, please. Bring your own food.

"Low carb", "low fat", "low sugar"... let 'em eat less. Or not at all.

[abqdan.livejournal.com]

As someone who is highly allergic to milk proteins, I long ago decided it was my responsibility, not the event organizer's, to deal with my medical problems. As a result, I have on only two occasions actually eaten at the IAGSDC banquet. I attend every year, push the food gently around the plate, then have the waiter take it away.

The other two occasions, the organizers were kind enough to try and organize safe food for me. In one case this worked out well, with the other nine people wondering why my selection wasn't on the menu, becuause they would have wanted it; in the other case, the 'specially prepared' meal turned out to be mostly lettuce for the starter and canned fruit salad as a dessert. Not deadly, but not appetizing.

Oddly enough, I have never died through missing a meal. Even more strangely, at almost every convention I've been able to find some local store that could provide safe food for me (the bizarre location of the San Diego convention made that tricky).

So speaking as one of those many allergy sufferers I'd advise you to forget about us; just go with what the hotel can provide, and tell the ten percenters (politely) to go fend for themselves!

Footnote: The AMA estimates 2% of the adult population have life-threatening allergies to a food ingredient.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Whatever happened to chicken, rice, veggies and a roll and leave what you can't or won't eat? :) I guess we're just much more aware of what are bodies need these days. Plus, it probably says a lot about the age range of the participants.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Well, vegetarian was one of the three standard commodity plates any hotel could handle easily. We're offering one's choice of chicken, beef or vegetarian entrees... the list above is for the outliers for whom one of those three may not suffice without elaboration.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

The hotel outsources the kosher meals and we're pushing for assurances that they will be glatt kosher... I can't make any assurances about taste for these or the hotel's standard entrees except to trust they are doing their best.

As for people screwing with us, that is increasingly a problem. One of the things I'm finding is that people occasionally like to be cutesy with their registration forms so I have to stare at the paper and wonder, are they serious or are they joking? Depending on my mood, I'll likely take the harshest interpretation: some people may enjoy a banquet of a single carrot and a glass of water 'cause we don't have the volunteer manpower to decode the humor of 900 registrants.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

I'm a little surprised the whole nut allergy thing hasn't been more prominent but I would think institutions are so wary of the issue that they are rather meticulous of any nut-related ingredients.

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

the low carb low fat low sugar thing could easily be a diabetic, and "eat less" is not an answer in that case.

[jss]

A now-deceased friend of mine was deathly allergic to mint in all its forms, including basil. Her wife (now widow) is allergic to onions and garlic. Another friend of mine is allergic to carrots. Anaphylaxis isn't funny, and your outright dismissal of uncommon allergies as "preferences, not restrictions" could kill several of my friends. I hope for your sake you never develop such a dietary restriction and then meet someone like you, so dismissive of others' concern.

That being said, it is indeed the responsibility of the allergic diner to ask about, and not the responsibility of the event planner to enforce, dietary restrictions.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Actually, since you met me, I kindly relieve you often of the burden by eating your food, or we share it around the table. The best fun is dividing up your desert!

[urbear]

Granted...

[guiser1.livejournal.com]

I got one word for ya:

BUFFET.

Seriously. You can't make EVERYONE happy with a list like that. I did an international medical symposium for 1200 people and ultimately they were given the options we afforded everyone, and if none of them worked, the onus fell on the individuals to accommodate themselves.

[urbear]

You misunderstand me. I've been fortunate enough to avoid serious food disorders, but I'm very aware of them, and far from dismissive. My niece has a life-threatening peanut allergy, and a close cousin is gluten intolerant (she gets violently ill if she accidentally ingests even a small amount).

If someone is afflicted with a deadly food allergy, the appropriate entry would be something like "SEVERELY ALLERGIC TO XXX", maybe even with some emphasis like, "LIFE-THREATENING". Absent a clear warning, it's hard to tell the difference between people who have a genuine need and those who are just indulging themselves. People who enter simple preferences on a form like this are not unlike healthy drivers who park in a handicapped zone.

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

The kosher thing is important due to the poor timing of the event around the holiday. Other than that, let the other people die. I'm just going to kill them in the square anyways.

[kent4str.livejournal.com]

Last year I thought Mike D. was going to mug me for my gluten-free meal (prime rib and a baked potato) because it looked so much better than the "regular" one.

This year I'll be sure to sit far from the callers' tables...

[bendoutdoors.livejournal.com]

Yes, but you're going to kill them for making mistakes. I'm going to kill them with my mistakes...

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

No, I'm going to kill them with the look. Actually, it'll be attributed to "styling mistakes" as usual, but that's what insurance is for.

[snousle.livejournal.com]

They ought to have a check box for "self-important".

I'm cooking for a group in a couple weeks where their usual chef gets all kinds of very specific dietary requests. So he prepares special plates for people with food restrictions and informs them that they should come to the kitchen to get them... and from what I hear, half the time they don't even bother to come pick them up.

As a caterer, I have to be exquisitely sensitive to people's dietary needs, but people who are merely persnickety make it more difficult to serve those who have serious intolerances. I would guess that half the time it's something important, and the other half its neurosis and/or a need for attention. Unfortunately there is no way to distinguish between the two.

Fortunately my vegan eggplant ravioli has been a huge hit and nearly everyone but the gluten intolerant can eat it!

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

people who are merely persnickety make it more difficult to serve those who have serious intolerances

That might be the trigger point of my frustration: I don't have the experience of a foods services professional to spot the difference between a serious medical dietary issue and mere preferences/persnicketiness. kent4str is gluten-intolerant but I know his version isn't life threatening even if it does make life hell for several days; my nephew hates all veggies except corn but I know that's not a medical issue as it is a child's strong-headed preference.

I'm so glad I don't have to do this sort of thing for a living.

[urbear]

Wouldn't it be interesting if those making special requests were required to follow through? Yeah, I know, there's no practical way to regulate that. Still, I think that anyone who makes a special food request and then ignores it should be called on it, and made to understand that they will not be accommodated a second time (or at least be billed for the extra meal).

It's a little easier to deal with this sort of thing if you stick to buffet service; you can make several dishes that are suitable as sides for the mainstream and main courses for those with special needs, using your eggplant ravioli as an example. A little forethought and appropriate signage (including warnings for common allergens) is all you need. That doesn't help with strictly kosher requirements, though, since even the dishes and utensils must be specially certified, and the mere proximity of non-kosher foods is enough to screw things up. Fortunately those who are serious about keeping kosher are well aware of these problems, and they'll almost always accept a sealed certified kosher plate or make do without.