Menu Knowledge and Dietary Awareness
What you must understand
A server must know every dish's main ingredients, cooking method, garnish, and typical allergens. Learn the major allergen groups: gluten, crustaceans, molluscs, eggs, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, and lupin. Understand cross-contamination risk and why "gluten-free" claims require kitchen confirmation. Know common dietary patterns: vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, halal, kosher, and low-sodium or diabetic needs. Understand that a guest may have an intolerance (discomfort) or an allergy (potentially life-threatening), and both deserve a clear answer. Know how to describe dishes honestly and how to recommend substitutions.
Traps in questions
Questions often present a guest with a nut allergy and an option that says "just pick the nuts out." That is always wrong. Another trap is guessing whether a sauce contains dairy or gluten; if unsure, check the kitchen. Watch for options that dismiss a dietary request as fussiness, or that recommend a dish without confirming the allergen status. Also beware of confusing vegetarian with vegan: a vegetarian dish may contain eggs, cheese, or honey.
Worked example
A guest says, "I'm coeliac - is the soup safe?" Weak answer: "It should be." Strong answer: "Let me confirm with the kitchen, because the stock may contain gluten. I'll come back within a minute with a definite answer." Then report exactly what the kitchen says.
Rule of thumb
If you are not certain about an ingredient, never guess - confirm with the kitchen.