Q: Are employees trained on food allergen awareness?
A: Yes! Special Dietary Needs Awareness and Cross-Contact Minimization training are key components of our approach.
Our chefs and managers are required to complete the in-depth FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) certified Food Allergy and Celiac Disease Training annually.
Our hourly workers receive food allergy awareness training twice per year in addition to continuous education through discussion of special dietary needs in our day-to-day activities as well as at our daily pre-shift meetings in each café.
Q: Are the Major Allergens labeled?
A: Yes! We communicate about the most common food allergens through quick-reference icons (below). You can find these icons on our online menus and daily café signage.
We also utilize what we call “descriptive menu nomenclature.” We make sure that the name of the dish, or its restaurant-style description — which are listed on our online menus and cafe signage — reference any cooking methods (such as grilling or frying) which may increase the risk for cross-contact. This provides many guests with much of the information they need while also letting them know when they may need to ask further questions.
Q: Can I filter the online menu to exclude items that contain my allergies?
A: Yes! Using our online menu https://blizzard.cafebonappetit.com/ you can use the filters dropdown to exclude menu items that are labeled with any of the above allergens.
Q: I understand you use allergen icons, but do you list ingredients?
A: Yes! Our online menus will have all whole ingredients and sub ingredients of house-made products listed for each menu item. We cook from scratch, using whole seasonal ingredients, so this strategy covers the vast majority of our menu items fully.
Purchased sub ingredient information will not be listed online. This information will always be available within our café upon request. This allows us to provide the most up to date information to our guests in real-time.
Q: Why not list sub ingredients for purchased products?
A: Ingredient/product formulations change frequently without notice from the manufacturer. The kitchens at Blizzard handle ~2,000 – 2,500 products on a weekly basis making label review upon each delivery virtually impossible.
Most places that list ingredient and/or allergen information do so based on a product screening that is conducted at various times through the year (usually one or twice annually)1-2) but not upon every delivery/use of that product. Therefore these statements are also followed by disclaimers stating the nutrition and allergy information is approximate, based on product and recipe data, and intended to be used only as a guide. Many also state that guests with food allergies should talk with the dining services team.
Q: If I have a question while in the café, can I ask someone for more details?
A: Please do! With any special dietary need, we emphasize the critical role that direct communication plays in safely feeding our guests. Each guest must determine their own level of comfort when making selections within our cafés.
If you have a question about a menu item while in our café, you can ask one of our managers.
Ingredient and allergen information is provided for informational purposes in response to guest requests. Products may change without our knowledge and menu items are prepared in close proximity to other ingredients which may introduce cross-contact with ingredients not listed. We cannot assure against these contingencies. Guests with food allergies or specific dietary concerns should speak with a manager for individualized assistance.
Q: Where can I find a manager during mealtimes?
A: We always have managers in our café and on the floor during mealtimes. If you can’t find one, just ask.
Q: What if I’m concerned about cross-contact at the serving station?
A: If ever concerned with cross-contact at our self-serve stations, served stations, or our made-to-order stations, please speak with a manager to request portions of that food served directly from the kitchen batch.
We train our staff on minimizing cross-contact at the serving station. However, when different menu items are served in such close proximity to each other, we acknowledge guest concerns regarding the potential for cross-contact. Our managers are happy to serve a portion of food from the kitchen batch.