Diet Restrictions & Allergens
Two different jobs live here and they have different stakes:
- Allergy = safety engineering. Traces matter, cross-contact matters, "just a little" can be dangerous. Zero-tolerance mindset.
- Intolerance/lifestyle = comfort/values engineering. Thresholds and preferences matter; pragmatism allowed.
Always establish which one you're dealing with before adapting — it changes everything from substitution strictness to kitchen protocol.
Read references/substitution-matrix.md for per-restriction swap tables and hidden-source lists.
Adaptation protocol
- Identify the restriction class (allergy vs intolerance vs lifestyle) and severity if allergy (anaphylactic → maximum protocol, including cross-contact warnings).
- Sweep for hidden sources. The named ingredient is easy; the hidden ones bite: gluten in soy sauce and bouillon cubes, dairy in bread and "non-dairy" creamers, egg in pasta and mayo, fish in Worcestershire and Caesar, nuts in pesto and baklava-adjacent pastry. Hidden-source lists per allergen live in references.
- Substitute by function (structure? binding? fat? flavor?), using the matrix. Some swaps are trivial (butter→oil), some are engineering (egg in meringue), some are honest "no" (croissant without gluten — offer a different pastry instead of a bad clone).
- Rebuild flavor lost with the ingredient. Removing dairy/gluten/egg often removes richness or umami — compensate deliberately (see swap notes) instead of serving the recipe minus one leg.
- State cross-contact measures when allergy-grade: separate boards/pans, wash hands, no shared fryer oil, check labels ("may contain"), serve that guest's plate first.
Mixed-table strategy (dinner with one vegan + one celiac + omnivores)
Design the BASE dish to satisfy the strictest constraints and add richness back via toppings/sides for the unrestricted: naturally-compliant mains (e.g., rice + braised vegetables + separate proteins) beat cooking three dinners. Naturally-free cuisines help: much of Vietnamese/Thai (fish sauce caveat), Indian dal-based, Georgian vegetable dishes, Mediterranean grills.
Vegetarian/vegan flavor engineering (the usual weak point)
The missing pillars are umami and fat-satisfaction, not protein math:
- Umami stack: mushrooms (browned hard/dried), tomato paste bloomed, miso/soy, nutritional yeast, caramelized onions, seaweed (see
chef-flavor-balance).
- Fat & texture: proper oil quantities, nuts/seeds, roasting to real browning, crispy chickpeas/tofu technique (dry → starch dust → hot fat).
- Protein: legumes + grains across the day; tofu/tempeh marinated aggressively (they reward it more than meat does).
- Vegan baking: aquafaba (3 tbsp = 1 egg, whips!), flax egg for binding, plant milks 1:1 in most quick bakes — details in references.
Honesty rules
- Never claim a dish is allergen-free if any ingredient is uncertain — say what to verify on labels.
- Don't promise identical texture where chemistry says no (gluten-free bread, aquafaba meringue humidity limits). Set expectations, offer the best version, or redirect to naturally-compliant alternatives.
- Celiac ≠ gluten-light: oats only if certified GF; regular soy sauce is out (tamari in).
1---2name: diet-restrictions-allergens3description: Cook safely around allergies, intolerances, and lifestyle restrictions — gluten-free, lactose-free, nut/egg/fish/shellfish/soy allergies, vegetarian/vegan, halal-style pork-free adaptation, and low-FODMAP basics. Use whenever the user or a guest "can't eat X", mentions an allergy or intolerance, asks to veganize/de-glutenize a recipe, or plans food for mixed-restriction groups.4---56# Diet Restrictions & Allergens78Two different jobs live here and they have different stakes:9- **Allergy** = safety engineering. Traces matter, cross-contact matters, "just a little" can be dangerous. Zero-tolerance mindset.10- **Intolerance/lifestyle** = comfort/values engineering. Thresholds and preferences matter; pragmatism allowed.1112Always establish which one you're dealing with before adapting — it changes everything from substitution strictness to kitchen protocol.1314Read `references/substitution-matrix.md` for per-restriction swap tables and hidden-source lists.1516## Adaptation protocol17181. **Identify the restriction class** (allergy vs intolerance vs lifestyle) and severity if allergy (anaphylactic → maximum protocol, including cross-contact warnings).192. **Sweep for hidden sources.** The named ingredient is easy; the hidden ones bite: gluten in soy sauce and bouillon cubes, dairy in bread and "non-dairy" creamers, egg in pasta and mayo, fish in Worcestershire and Caesar, nuts in pesto and baklava-adjacent pastry. Hidden-source lists per allergen live in references.203. **Substitute by function** (structure? binding? fat? flavor?), using the matrix. Some swaps are trivial (butter→oil), some are engineering (egg in meringue), some are honest "no" (croissant without gluten — offer a different pastry instead of a bad clone).214. **Rebuild flavor lost with the ingredient.** Removing dairy/gluten/egg often removes richness or umami — compensate deliberately (see swap notes) instead of serving the recipe minus one leg.225. **State cross-contact measures when allergy-grade:** separate boards/pans, wash hands, no shared fryer oil, check labels ("may contain"), serve that guest's plate first.2324## Mixed-table strategy (dinner with one vegan + one celiac + omnivores)25Design the BASE dish to satisfy the strictest constraints and add richness back via toppings/sides for the unrestricted: naturally-compliant mains (e.g., rice + braised vegetables + separate proteins) beat cooking three dinners. Naturally-free cuisines help: much of Vietnamese/Thai (fish sauce caveat), Indian dal-based, Georgian vegetable dishes, Mediterranean grills.2627## Vegetarian/vegan flavor engineering (the usual weak point)28The missing pillars are umami and fat-satisfaction, not protein math:29- Umami stack: mushrooms (browned hard/dried), tomato paste bloomed, miso/soy, nutritional yeast, caramelized onions, seaweed (see `chef-flavor-balance`).30- Fat & texture: proper oil quantities, nuts/seeds, roasting to real browning, crispy chickpeas/tofu technique (dry → starch dust → hot fat).31- Protein: legumes + grains across the day; tofu/tempeh marinated aggressively (they reward it more than meat does).32- Vegan baking: aquafaba (3 tbsp = 1 egg, whips!), flax egg for binding, plant milks 1:1 in most quick bakes — details in references.3334## Honesty rules35- Never claim a dish is allergen-free if any ingredient is uncertain — say what to verify on labels.36- Don't promise identical texture where chemistry says no (gluten-free bread, aquafaba meringue humidity limits). Set expectations, offer the best version, or redirect to naturally-compliant alternatives.37- Celiac ≠ gluten-light: oats only if certified GF; regular soy sauce is out (tamari in).
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