AllergyEats Food Allergy Conference

This October, I plan on attending the 3rd Annual AllergyEats Food Allergy Conference in New York City. This conference is for restaurateurs and food service professionals with a focus on "How to Maximize Safety and Increase Customer Engagement, Loyalty, and Revenue."

This year's impressive line-up of speakers includes:

• Matt Abdoo, Chef de Cuisine at Del Posto Restaurant, New York, NY
• Robin Hamm, Director, Food Safety, Quality, and Commercialization at Red Robin International, Inc.
• Jared Schulefand, Owner and Operator of Home, Branford, CT
• Betsy Craig, Founder and CEO of MenuTrinfo
• Julie Kuriakose, MD; Physician, Educator, Author and Co-Founder of Hudson Allergy
• Robert Landolphi, Culinary Development Manager at the University of Connecticut and Author of Gluten-Free Every Day Cookbook, Quick Fix Gluten Free and Cooking Light Gluten Free Baking
• Scott H. Sicherer, MD, Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Professor of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology, and Chief of the Pediatric Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
• Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc, Pediatric Allergist for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Voluntary Instructor of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, Co-founder and Content Creator, AllergyHome
• Lisa Giuriceo, Support group leader of the Food Allergy and Asthma Support Group of North Jersey
• Beth Hillson, Founder of the Gluten-Free Pantry, Author of Complete Guide to Living Well Gluten Free and Gluten-Free Makeovers, Food Editor for Gluten Free & More
• Lori Sandler, Owner of Divvies and Author of The Divvies Bakery Cookbook
• Colette Martin, Author of The Allergy-Free Pantry and Learning to Bake Allergen-Free and advisory board member, Kids with Food Allergies 
• Paul Antico, Founder and CEO of AllergyEats and former financial analyst and portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments

I am looking forward to seeing Beth Hilson again and to finally meeting Robert Landolphi and Paul Antico in person. This should be a very interesting event and I am excited to participate.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 

Beginning at 8:00 a.m. 

Radisson Martinique on Broadway 

49 W 32nd Street, New York City

http://www.allergyeats.com/conference/

Early bird registration is $259 until September 21, 2014. Attendees will also enjoy lunch with the experts, lively Q&A sessions and the opportunity to sample vendors' allergy-friendly products at the event.

About AllergyEats

This conference is organized by AllergyEats,  a free, peer-based website and app where people find and rate restaurants based solely on their ability to accommodate food allergies.  The site, app and related social media forums help families with food allergies reduce the guesswork - and the anxiety - surrounding dining out with food allergies. 

AllergyEats lists more than 750,000 restaurants nationwide, which people can rate, and it also offers web links, menus and more.  Restaurants are easily searchable by geographic location, so people can find allergy-friendly restaurants around town and around the country. 

The organization also offers a variety of opportunities for restaurateurs and food service professionals, including an annual food allergy conference.  For more information, please visit www.AllergyEats.com.

The 2nd Annual Food Allergy Conference for Restaurateurs

Attention all restaurant owners, chefs, and managers, this is an event for you! AllergyEats is hosting their 2nd Annual Food Allergy Conference for Restaurateurs in Boston on November 5, 2013. Whether you are an allergy-aware restaurant or you want to learn more about feeding your clientele, this is an extremely informative event. Please see the press release below for more information including guest speakers and how to register.

AllergyEats Presents The 2nd Annual Food Allergy Conference for Restaurateurs:

What Every Restaurant Should Know About Food Allergies

To Ensure Safety & Maximize Customer Engagement, Loyalty, and Revenue

Boston, MA - AllergyEats, the leading guide to allergy-friendly restaurants nationwide, presents The 2nd Annual Food Allergy Conference for Restaurateurs: What Every Restaurant Should Know About Food Allergies To Ensure Safety & Maximize Customer Engagement, Loyalty, and Revenue.  This is a must-attend event for restaurant chefs, owners and managers, as well as food service operators that strive to become more knowledgeable and accommodating about food allergies - and reduce any fear about serving food-allergic guests. 

This timely, relevant event will feature notable speakers from the National Restaurant Association, P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Blue Ginger, Burton's Grill, MenuTrinfo, Kids With Food Allergies Foundation and AllergyEats, as well as prominent allergists from Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, who will provide valuable information about accommodating food-allergic guests, reducing the fear around food allergies, building customer loyalty and profits, and other related food allergy issues.

"The event features notable restaurateurs that excel at accommodating food allergies, who will provide actionable tips to make restaurants safer for food-allergic guests.  Our speakers will discuss protocols they've implemented to improve communication, avoid cross-contamination, identify special allergen-free meals, and better accommodate guests with dietary restrictions, as well as the benefits they’ve experienced by being allergy-friendly," said Paul Antico, Founder and CEO of AllergyEats, father of three food-allergic children and passionate food allergy advocate.

"The conference also offers valuable advice from professional industry trainers, who discuss the importance - and process - of implementing effective food allergy protocols, procedures and training in restaurants.  Other speakers include physicians describing the basics of food allergies and a financial professional explaining how restaurants can significantly increase their profits, customers and loyalty by becoming more allergy-friendly," Antico continued. 

Speakers will include:

• Ming Tsai, James Beard Award-Winning Chef, Owner of Blue Ginger and Blue Dragon, Television Host, Cookbook Author, Food Allergy Advocate
• Mike Moomjian, Director, Quality Assurance & Food Safety at P.F. Chang's China Bistro
• Kevin Harron, Founder, President and CEO, Burtons Grill
• William L. Weichelt, Director, ServSafe for the National Restaurant Association
• Paul Antico, Founder/CEO of AllergyEats, food allergy advocate, father of three food-allergic children
• Betsy Craig, Founder/CEO, MenuTrinfo
• Lynda Mitchell, President, Kids With Food Allergies Foundation
• Dr. Wayne Shreffler, Head of the Food Allergy Center at Mass General Hospital
• Dr. Michael Pistiner, Pediatric Allergist for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, and Voluntary Instructor of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital
• ...and more

Topics will include:

• Food Allergy Basics - This session will spotlight fundamentals, statistics, and the realities of accommodating food-allergic and food-intolerant guests. It will also showcase how food-allergic individuals deal with everyday life, and what they look for in a restaurant when dining out. 
• Restaurants That Get it Right - Expert restaurateurs who excel at accommodating food-allergic guests will spotlight their restaurants' best practices, as well as their successful food allergy procedures and protocols.  They'll explain why they're committed to being allergy-friendly and describe guests' reactions, including their increased loyalty.
• Basic Training - Top restaurant trainers who specialize in food allergies and other special dietary requirements will speak about the process of becoming more allergy-friendly.  This session will discuss how restaurants can become more accommodating, improve safety and minimize risks, implement and execute food allergy protocols and become more confident in their food allergy procedures.
• The Financials Around Food Allergies - This session will explore the economics of accommodating food-allergic diners, including the increased loyalty and profit opportunities, demonstrating how restaurants can make significantly more money by becoming allergy-friendly. 

Attendees will enjoy lunch with the experts and have ample time for Q&A during each session.  They can also sample vendors' allergy-friendly products at the event.

Advanced registration is required.  Registration is $199 per person. Group discounts are available.  To register and for more information, please visit www.allergyeats.com/conference.

"Attendees at last year's conference raved about the high caliber of speakers and the constructive information they learned from our experts," Antico added.  "The feedback we received last year was overwhelmingly positive and we're looking forward to another informative and successful conference this fall."

This conference is sponsored by Mylan Specialty L.P., MenuTrinfo, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

About AllergyEats

AllergyEats, a free, peer-based website and smartphone app, is dramatically improving the way food-allergic and gluten intolerant individuals find - and rate - allergy-friendly restaurants.  The easy-to-use ratings and comment system allows food-allergic diners to instantly share their feedback about their restaurant experiences.  This peer-based ratings and review site lets people see at-a-glance which restaurants have been more willing and better able to accommodate special dietary requirements, allowing food-allergic diners to make more informed choices about where to dine.

AllergyEats lists more than 600,000 restaurants nationwide, which food allergic diners can rate.  The site also offers information on restaurants' menus, certifications, web links, directions and more.   The site, app and related social media forums help families with food allergies reduce the guesswork - and the anxiety - surrounding dining out with food allergies. 

Most restaurant review sites include information about establishments’ food, ambiance or service, but AllergyEats is singularly focused on food allergies, with peer reviews spotlighting where people with food allergies or intolerances have more comfortably eaten. 

AllergyEats has been endorsed by highly-respected food, health and allergy organizations and individuals, including the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Gluten Intolerance Group, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Chef Ming Tsai, Chef Joel Schaefer and more.   AllergyEats was selected as the About.com 2012 Readers' Choice Award winner for best Food Allergy App.  The AllergyEats smartphone app also won a Web Health Award and was honored as one of Healthline’s Top Ten Food Allergy Apps.  For more information, please visit www.AllergyEats.com.

Gluten-Free in College: Part 5

As 14 million college students prepare to go back to school this month, many are worrying about class schedules and new roommates. But students with food allergies and intolerances have additional concerns about where they'll be able to safely dine out. AllergyEats, a free website, provides valuable peer-based feedback about how well (or poorly) restaurants accommodate food-allergic guests.

AllergyEats Helps College Students Find Allergy-Friendly Restaurants Near Campus

Send Your College Student Off to School with This Valuable (Free) Resource

BOSTON, MA (August 24, 2011) – More than 14 million college students are going back to school this month, with nearly 3 million freshmen attending college for the first time. These students are worried about their workload, class schedules and new roommates, but students with food allergies and intolerances have additional concerns about where they’ll be able to safely dine out. AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com), the biggest and fastest growing source for finding allergy-friendly restaurants, offers a solution.

AllergyEats, a free, user-friendly website, provides valuable peer-based feedback about how well (or poorly) restaurants accommodate the needs of food-allergic customers. The peer ratings and feedback allow food-allergic and gluten-intolerant diners to quickly and easily find restaurants that will accommodate their specific dietary requirements – and avoid the ones that won’t.

“For people with food allergies, dining out can be a stressful experience. And for college students, who may be out on their own for the first time this fall, that anxiety is multiplied, especially if they’re in an unfamiliar town. Now, they can depend on AllergyEats to find (and rate) allergy-friendly restaurants on – or near – campus,” said Paul Antico, founder of AllergyEats, food allergy advocate and father of three food allergic children.

AllergyEats lists more than 600,000 restaurants nationwide, which food-allergic diners can rate. The site also offers information on restaurants’ menus (including gluten-free menus), allergen lists, nutrition information, certifications, web links, directions and more.

AllergyEats is different than ‘typical’ restaurant review sites, which rate restaurants based on food, ambiance and service. AllergyEats is singularly focused on food allergies, with peer reviews spotlighting where people with food allergies or intolerances have more comfortably eaten.

“A huge, important component to the college experience is the social element, as college students strive to make friends, fit in and not seem different or high maintenance. Teens may feel embarrassed about explaining their food restrictions at restaurants, especially to a server who doesn’t understand food allergy preparations or protocols. By using AllergyEats to find allergy-friendly restaurants in advance, these students can feel more comfortable – and in control – when dining out,” Antico explained.

“And, obviously, there’s the bigger issue of avoiding an allergic reaction, which can be life-threatening for people with severe allergies,” Antico continued. “This can be a tremendous fear for food-allergic college students who are away from their parents and their familiar routines, sometimes for the first time.”

AllergyEats has experienced steady growth since its February 2010 launch, and now has more than 15,000 monthly users and 5,000+ food allergic fans regularly sharing ideas through the AllergyEats Blog and associated social media sites.

AllergyEats has been endorsed by highly-respected food, health and allergy organizations and individuals, including the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Gluten Intolerance Group, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Chef Ming Tsai and more.

For more information, please visit www.allergyeats.com

Chef Ming Tsai Endorses AllergyEats

Chef Ming Tsai Endorses AllergyEats,

The Biggest & Fastest Growing Source for Finding Allergy-Friendly Restaurants

AllergyEats Offers Valuable, Peer-Based Feedback

About How Well (or Poorly) Restaurants Accommodate Food Allergies

BOSTON, MA (May 3, 2011) –Chef Ming Tsai, owner of popular restaurant Blue Ginger in Wellesley, MA and host of Simply Ming on public television, has endorsed AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com), the biggest and fastest growing source for finding allergy-friendly restaurants. Chef Tsai, the father of a food allergic child, is a passionate advocate for food allergy issues, and was a pioneer in the formation and passing of the groundbreaking new food allergy law in Massachusetts.

“As a chef, father of a food allergic son and food allergy advocate, I applaud AllergyEats for providing valuable, peer-based information about how well individual restaurants accommodate guests with food allergies and intolerances,” said Chef Ming Tsai.  “Dining out should be a pleasurable experience, but as I know from personal experience, it can be stressful and frustrating for those with food allergies or intolerances.”

“As a FAAN ambassador, I’m actively involved in increasing awareness and improving restaurant protocols so people with food allergies can eat out safely.  I’m pleased to endorse AllergyEats, which allows users to quickly and easily access peer reviews and allergy-friendliness ratings in order to make more informed decisions about where to dine,” Chef Tsai continued.

Chef Tsai’s restaurant, Blue Ginger, happily accommodates food-allergic guests, and has just launched their new gluten-free menu to meet the needs of diners with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivities. 

“I’m thrilled and honored to have Chef Tsai endorsing AllergyEats.  I have tremendous respect for Chef Tsai, who works tirelessly to champion for food allergy issues.  His restaurant is incredibly accommodating to people with food allergies, and it’s no surprise that they’ve received consistently high allergy-friendliness ratings on our site.  The new gluten-free menu is yet another demonstration of Blue Ginger’s commitment to those with special dietary requirements,” said Paul Antico, founder of AllergyEats.

AllergyEats, a free website, lists well over 600,000 restaurants nationwide, which food-allergic diners can rate.  The site also offers information on restaurants’ menus (including gluten-free menus), allergen lists, nutrition information, certifications, web links, directions and more.

This free, user-friendly website provides valuable peer-based feedback about how well (or poorly) restaurants accommodate the needs of food-allergic customers.  The peer ratings and feedback allow food-allergic and gluten-intolerant diners to quickly and easily find restaurants that will more likely cater to their special dietary requirements – and avoid the ones that won’t.

Most restaurant review sites include information about establishments’ food, ambiance or service, but AllergyEats is singularly focused on food allergies, with peer reviews spotlighting where people with food allergies or intolerances have more comfortably eaten.   AllergyEats has significantly improved the way food allergic and gluten-intolerant individuals find allergy-friendly restaurants.  

AllergyEats now has more than 15,000 monthly users, 8,000+ daily Facebook views and 3,000+ food-allergic fans regularly sharing ideas through the AllergyEats Blog and their associated social media sites. 

“When you dine out, whether your experience was positive or negative – or somewhere in between – please help the entire food allergy community by rating the restaurant on AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com).  Rating a restaurant is simple and quick (it takes less than a minute) and helps other food-allergic individuals determine which restaurants to visit, based on the peer ratings and feedback,” Antico added.

AllergyEats has been endorsed by highly-respected food, health and allergy organizations, including the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Gluten Intolerance Group, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Chef Ming Tsai and more. 

For more information, please visit www.AllergyEats.com.