Custard!

Now who's lying!?!

Last Wednesday, I went for lunch with the OH and a couple of good friends. It was at a local venue that has always been good.

On a previous occasion, I had discovered that there was a safe option of custard for me. (Yes, it’s as simple as custard!)

My choice was between Free-From Fruit Crumble with Custard, and Chocolate Billionaire Bar. Both these options were made without gluten, oats, milk, soya, nuts, peanuts, and egg. I couldn’t believe it! Wow! Was I excited or what? There was actually a choice of dessert. This was unheard of!

Sadly, the Billionaire bar had been discontinued last year, and at Christmas, the Vegan custard was changed to a soya based one for the seasonal menu, so that was off limits too.

I checked the app one my phone before we went, because I thought they had changed the custard back to the me-safe one, and I was correct. I was looking forward to Apple and Plum Crumble with Custard for Pudding.

When the server came to ask if we would like pudding. I explained about the custard issue from our last visit, and asked to see the app. I also asked her to double check, because our server last time had found a carton of the safe version in the store. Even if the app said it wasn't safe, they might have some in that was.

Off she went, and a few minutes later, came back with the news that the vegan custard was made with soya. I then said that the app must be wrong then, because it stated ‘no major allergens’, to which she just looked at me in disbelief and said, ‘It has got soya in it.’ I repeated myself to reinforce the statement that the app is wrong. I just got a very bewildered look from her, and she started to ask everyone else what they wanted.

I was flummoxed. The app says one thing, the waitress said different after going to check, who should I believe? Well, I believed the waitress, as she has just looked at the product in the kitchen.

Realisation dawned that I was not having pudding after all. Everyone else had placed their order. What was I supposed to do? Sit there and watch them tuck in, whilst I had nothing after expecting to be able to have a pudding with my friends?

With tears of frustration, upset, and anger streaming down my face, I got up and walked out. I sat outside while they all enjoyed their pudding.

A while later, my friends came out and sat with me. My husband wasn’t with them, and they said he was speaking to the manager. About 15 minutes later, he appeared, saying that they were insistent that the problem was not theirs, but the app. It was pointed out to them that the app is only as good as the information loaded up to it, and if they had changed their products, it was their fault, not the app.

As it happened, it was change-over time for the staff, and who should arrive, but our usual server. She could see there was a problem, so she intervened. A chef arrived at the same time, and he got involved in the conversation too. The chef said that the custard did NOT contain soya, and went out to get a carton. The usual server said that she always brings the pack, or a photo of it on her phone, to the customer for them to check, which is exactly what she had done for me previously. Back comes the chef, and true enough, the custard did not contain soya.

Just adding salt to the wound, I was informed that I could have had a pudding.

We stopped in the shops on the way home to get myself a treat, see the photo to know what my indulgence was.

There is only one food chain that I had been relatively confident to eat at. A large business, and part of a much larger group.

I say ‘HAD’ because that confidence is now past tense, shattered to pieces that will take a long time to put back together, and I think there will be bits missing.

My previous experiences had been quite good, but there is always suspicion in the back of my mind, which is why I very rarely venture out for a meal.

Yes, I had some safe Rocky Road Bites, strawberries, raspberries, coconut cream, and coconut yogurt, not all at once, I might add.

Whilst this was comfort eating, it was not enjoying a meal with my friends that we had planned.

All because a waitress got it wrong.

I'm Stella Holt, the Founder of Food Allergy Friends Limited.

I have over 40 years experience in hospitality, and a lifetime of personally dealing with food hypersensitivities.

I'm here to help you with all aspects of serving the customer with special dietary needs, from training your staff to producing your documents.

If you need help or training, look us up: www.foodallergyfriends.co.uk or give me a call 07759302881