The Allergen Question at a Crowded Bar
A customer orders a house cocktail that contains orgeat (almond) syrup, egg white, gin, lemon and a dash of bitters. As you begin, she mentions she has a nut allergy and asks whether the drink is safe. You know the orgeat is almond-based, but you are less sure about the bitters and whether the egg white is pasteurised. The bar is busy, the recipe card does not list allergens, and the orgeat bottle's label is partly worn. A colleague says 'it's only a little bit of almond, she'll be fine.' The customer is watching you and waiting for an answer. There is a separate clean shaker available, and the kitchen has a printed allergen folder behind the pass.
1. Decide how to respond to the customer's allergen query, explaining what you can and cannot confirm and what you would do before making any drink.
Read the worked answer
You must not guess. You can confirm the orgeat is almond-based, so the house cocktail as written contains a nut allergen and is not safe for her as specified. You cannot confidently confirm the bitters or the egg white from memory or a worn label, so you should not state they are safe. The right response is honest and specific: tell her the drink contains almond syrup, so you cannot serve it as written, and that you need to check the other ingredients. Before making anything, consult the kitchen's printed allergen folder for the bitters and egg white, and check the orgeat label or a reliable source. Do not rely on 'a little bit won't hurt' - allergen risk is not dose-dependent in the way your colleague implies, and reactions can be severe. Offer to make a safe alternative without the orgeat, using clean equipment, once you have verified the remaining ingredients.
2. Explain the cross-contamination controls and the communication steps you would use if you make a safe alternative, and how you would handle your colleague's attitude.
Read the worked answer
If you make an alternative, control cross-contact: use the separate clean shaker, a clean jigger, fresh ice from a clean scoop, and a clean glass; avoid the orgeat bottle, its pourer and any shared utensils that have touched it. Wash hands or change gloves. Confirm each remaining ingredient against the allergen folder before use, and tell the customer exactly what you are doing so she can decide. Communication steps: repeat her allergy back to confirm, state what you have checked, and tell her what the drink will and will not contain. Handle your colleague privately and factually - explain that allergen risk can be serious even in small amounts and that guessing exposes the customer and the venue; escalate to the manager if the attitude persists. The judgement is that allergen safety is a verified, controlled process, not a judgement about quantity, and consistency across the team is part of the control.