Excluded a restaurant for food intolerance

Photo Dominic Scali
Emy Bunsten, 11 years, has often been excluded from children’s parties because of its complications food, until the parents of his friends realize that there was no danger or problem if she brought her food from home.

Dominique Scali

Friday, December 29, 2017 01:00

UPDATE
Friday, December 29, 2017 01:00

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A mother claims that his family has been excluded from a restaurant on the evening of Christmas eve because she had brought food for her children who have severe food intolerances.

“My daughter was crying. She said that it was his fault if they could not eat at the restaurant, ” reports Jennifer Bouchard, who lives in Chambly.

When she and her husband go to the restaurant, they have the habit of bringing food from home for their children, which avoids the accommodations complex on the part of the restorers. This is what they wanted to do at buffet Fu Lam of the borough of Greenfield Park in Longueuil, quebec, on the 24th of December.

His daughter, Emy Bunsten, 11 years old, has celiac disease. That is to say that it is highly intolerant to gluten. A grain of bread may be sufficient to cause vomiting, and swelling, ” says his mother.

His son of 8 years old, is autistic. Due to sensory problems, he doesn’t eat nearly as toast and peanut butter.

“Aberrant “

However, the server has banned children from eating the food from the outside, on the pretext that “it was not,” said Ms. Bouchard. “This is stupid. It was not to stay if my children could not eat “.

The restaurant was almost empty that night, ” she recalls.

“I felt guilty,” says Emy. I wanted my parents to go to a restaurant and eat what they want. “

“It’s not that we didn’t want to pay,” said Ms. Bouchard. There is a consensus that it may seem stupid or cheap to bring a lunch to the restaurant. But if you want to get out, we don’t have the choice. “

There are indeed restaurants that offer a safe option for people allergic or intolerant, but none was opened on the evening of 24 December, she says.

“My daughter is going to age. It will have the right to live and follow his friends, ” hopes Ms. Bouchard.

Reached by telephone yesterday, a manager of the restaurant confirmed that it was forbidden to bring any food outside, even in the case of allergy. However, he refused to be quoted in the absence of the owners, who are not contactable over the Holiday period, we were told.

CELIAC DISEASE

• 1% of the canadian population, or approximately 369 000 people

FOOD ALLERGIES

• 2.6 million people in Canada, of which 485 000 children

Sources : Health Canada and food Allergies Canada

Owners more cautious than before

People who suffer from food allergies feel less welcome than before in restaurants since a client is allergic to the salmon continued to be at a bistro of Sherbrooke, according to a speaker.

A server in the Flashy, Sherbrooke, had been arrested in 2016 after having served a tartare of salmon to a customer allergic to it, which had subsequently spent several days in the coma.

No charges had finally been filed against the employee, who claimed that the client had indeed ordered the salmon. The latter has started a civil lawsuit of over $ 400,000 against the establishment last winter.

“We felt the backlash of [this story]. The allergic people to feel that they are less well accepted in the restaurants, ” says Marie-Josée Bettez, co-author of the book Outsmarting the food allergies.

No regulation

The president of a support group of the same name on Facebook, she said that she was very much aware of the concerns of the community of people who suffer from allergies.

Their experiences in the restaurants are “very varied” and the possibility or not to bring a lunch has often been raised, ” she says.

At the base, there is no regulation prohibiting a client to bring food to a restaurant.

“It is a business decision, at the discretion of the conservator,” says Melissa Lapointe, press secretary at the ministry of Food.

The son polyallergique Ms. Bettez was even able to bring his food to the Chateau Frontenac for his prom, shows-t-it.

“Reasonable “

According to Beatrice Povolo, food Allergies Canada, there is an option to be “reasonable” when the conservator is not able to ensure that customers can eat safely.

“In general, common sense prevails “, she remarks.

It is recommended that people call the restaurant before you go.

For its part, Ms. Bettez note that some traders are more understanding in person.

“We understand that restaurants don’t want to become a place where anyone can bring their own lunch. But do the math : it can be a practice beneficial “, she said, since the allergic person often comes with a group.