National Indoor Allergy Awareness Week 2014 runs from October 20 - 26, and aims to raise awareness and highlight the plight of allergy sufferers across the UK. With more and more people suffering every year, we spoke with chefs who have struggled in both everyday life and their careers because of allergies.
The story of Mikael Jonsson’s allergies is an interesting one; the Michelin-starred chef of the Hedone restaurant in Chiswick, London, was allergic to shellfish to such a degree that he had to have cortisone injections regularly to help prevent the severe symptoms of his allergies. Mikael’s allergies were so bad that he was unable to pursue his dream of becoming a chef for several years. However, after changing his diet to the Palaeolithic diet, his allergic symptoms cleared up completely. “I really wanted to be a chef when I was in my teens, but I couldn’t really be in a professional kitchen due to very bad allergies,” explained Mikael. “It just wasn’t feasible to be in a professional kitchen.” “I was tested a couple of times in my early teens and the conclusion was that I was allergic to almost everything. I tried using gloves but it actually got worse. I had to use Cortisone off and on for a very long time.” However, Mikael explains how a change in diet helped to alleviate his symptoms and eradicate his allergies altogether. “I started the Palaeolithic diet, where you avoid eating grains containing gluten and lectins, as well as avoiding man-made sugars and oils, which basically meant a diet rich in fats, red meat and eggs – it worked for me,” said Mikael. “It took probably three months before I dared to think that they had gone forever.”
While a complete change in diet worked for Mikael, it might not work for the rest of us. Instead, other chefs have to simply adapt to work in the best way they can without aggravating their allergies. Tom Kerridge, of The Hand and Flowers, has been allergic to shellfish all his life. “I didn’t realise I had a shellfish allergy until I was 24; I didn’t eat shellfish until then,” explained Tom. “My allergy started as crustaceans, but it’s progressed to shellfish as well now. When I first had shellfish I was violently sick, but I didn’t associate it with being an allergy initially.”
EU Top 14 Allergens – What to look out for in your kitchens: - Eggs - Molluscs (Mussels, oysters, clams and squid) - Crustaceans (Crab, lobster & shrimp) - Celery - Milk (Not to be confused with lactose intolerance) - Fish - Tree nuts (Almonds, cashews, coconuts, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts; Brazil & Macadamia nuts) - - Sulphites (Found in jams & preserves, bottled condiments, dried fruit, beers, wines & ciders, and maraschino cherries) - Soya - Sesame (this allergy is most common in those who suffer from peanut and tree nut allergies) - Peanuts - Mustard - Lupin (this allergy is most commonly found in those who suffer from peanut allergy) - Gluten (Found in pasta, breads, cakes, cereals, and flour)
Tom doesn’t let his allergy affect his menus though. He said: “It doesn’t hamper our creativity at all. We never have shellfish on as a main ingredient, but we have crab and scallops as a starter occasionally and every dish is created and driven by a team effort; it’s not just me in the kitchen. “We work very closely together; it’s a huge team effort. I’ve surrounded myself by phenomenal people in my kitchen, and I rely on them to let me know that everything’s alright.” New EU legislation will come into place in December, following the directive of pre-packed foods
