I was at my university's etiquette dinner tonight and I ran into a situation that I wanted to discuss. I had informed the coordinators ahead of time that I'm gluten free and needed a special meal as a result. Unfortunately, due to some last minute requests from others, the food service providers didn't have a meal for me. They were able to have the chef prepare a fresh plate, but it wasn't ready until most of the people had already finished the main course. I had no problem waiting; I was just happy that the food service was handling the situation.
The reason I'm sharing this is because I know that many people with allergies are in similar situations where they have to take food allergies into account when dining in a business setting. Believe me when I say that I hate exposing myself in social situations, especially in professional settings. There have been times in my life wheordeould have rather turned down an invitation to dine than put myself in a situation where I had to be honest about my food restrictions.
For example, a few months ago, a friend of mine asked me to have lunch with him so we could talk about my study abroad experience. At first I wasn't sure I wanted to do it because doing so would require me to be open about my food allergies, which has never been easy for me. However, I realized that my reservations about disclosing this part of me was exactly why I had to say yes. If I didn't make myself vulnerable and confront my food allergies in a more relaxed setting, then I would never be able to it in a critical situation like an interview over lunch. I ended up honestly telling my friend beforehand and with his support I was able to ask the waitress's advice about what option would be best for me to order considering my specific dietary restrictions. As I anticipated, this particular experience helped me be more comfortable talking about and dealing with my food restrictions.
After my experience this evening, I would say three things about handling dining in a professional setting. The first is to not be afraid to talk about it. It's okay to let the host or employer know beforehand, in fact they might even appreciate you speaking up about an issue that could affect your health. They might even welcome your suggestion for places to go that could easily accommodate for your particular restrictions. The second thing I would say is when you are in a setting you can't control, be discreet. If you're not sure what's in something, just pull the wait staff aside and ask discreetly. If there's a mishap, you can politely send the plate back, but the important thing is to be patient and relax. Tell the others to go ahead and eat and keep conversing while you wait. Lastly, don't look at the situation as a limitation, but a strength. As hard as it is to handle the issue, handling it in the right way can be valuable to a potential employer who would want to know how you resolve conflict. I know that although having food allergies is difficult to talk about, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm hoping that by sharing this, others can see that although food allergies are always a part of someone, they don't have to define them. What defines a person is not the situation itself, but how they respond to it.
