Module 2: Understanding Reactions

Three Tiers of Severity

Not every guest who mentions a food issue has the same level of risk. As FOH staff, you need to understand the three tiers so you can respond appropriately — but always follow the allergy procedure regardless.

Tier	What It Means	Risk Level	Your Response
Intolerance	Difficulty digesting a food component (e.g. lactose intolerance, coeliac disease)	Uncomfortable, not life-threatening	Follow allergy procedure. Note on order.
Mild / Moderate Allergy	Immune system reaction, but guest may say "traces are okay" or "I get hives"	Can escalate to severe	Follow allergy procedure. Note severity on order.
Anaphylaxis	Severe, life-threatening immune reaction. Even traces can trigger it.	Life-threatening	Full allergy procedure. Speak to chef. Red card. Extra vigilance.

Critical Fact There is no cure for food allergy. The only way to manage it is to completely avoid the allergen. Even a trace amount — a drop of sauce, a crumb of bread — can cause a life-threatening reaction. Heating, cooking, or freezing does NOT destroy allergens.

Allergies, Intolerances & Dietary Preferences

Guests will tell you about all sorts of dietary needs. You must understand what you're dealing with:

	Food Allergy	Food Intolerance	Dietary Preference
Cause	Immune system reaction to a protein	Difficulty digesting a food component	Personal choice or cultural/religious
Severity	Can be life-threatening (anaphylaxis)	Uncomfortable but not life-threatening	Not a health risk
Amount	Even traces can trigger a reaction	Usually depends on quantity consumed	N/A
Examples	Peanut allergy, milk allergy, egg allergy	Lactose intolerance, coeliac disease	Dislikes, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, halal
Procedure	Full allergy procedure	Full allergy procedure	Accommodate but no allergy procedure needed

RaRa Ramen Policy At RaRa, we treat ALL allergy and intolerance requests with the highest level of care. Never assume a request is "just an intolerance." Always follow the full allergy procedure. Dietary preferences (dislikes, cultural choices) should be accommodated but don't require the allergy procedure.

Common Confusion: Milk Allergy vs Lactose Intolerance

Milk allergy is an immune reaction to milk protein — it can cause anaphylaxis. Lactose-free dairy still contains milk proteins and is dangerous for someone with a milk allergy.

Lactose intolerance is difficulty digesting lactose (milk sugar). It causes discomfort but is not life-threatening. Lactose-free products are safe for these guests.

Common Mistake Offering a guest with a milk allergy a lactose-free option is DANGEROUS. Lactose-free dairy still contains milk proteins that can trigger anaphylaxis. Always clarify: allergy or intolerance?

Probing Questions: Getting the Full Picture

When a guest tells you about an allergy, you need to ask follow-up questions to understand exactly what they need. These are the probing questions you should use:

1

"Is it mild or anaphylaxis?" Understanding severity tells the kitchen how critical the situation is. Note the severity on the order.

2

"Are traces okay?" Some guests with mild allergies can tolerate traces (e.g. "may contain" warnings). Anaphylactic guests usually cannot. This affects which dishes are safe.

3

"Is it all nuts or certain nuts?" A guest allergic to peanuts only may be fine with tree nuts (and vice versa). This opens up more menu options. But always confirm — never assume.

4

"All shellfish? Only crustaceans? Only molluscs?" "Shellfish allergy" can mean crustaceans (prawns, crab), molluscs (squid, oyster sauce), or both. The distinction matters for what we can safely serve.

5

"All seafood? Only finned fish?" A fish allergy doesn't always mean shellfish too. Clarify whether they need to avoid all seafood or just finned fish.

Why Probing Matters These questions aren't just to be thorough — they directly affect which dishes are safe. For example, if a guest is allergic to peanuts only (not tree nuts), our gyoza may be safe for them. But if they're allergic to all nuts, it's different. The more you know, the better you can help.

Recognising Allergic Reactions

As the person closest to the guest, you may be the first to notice something is wrong. Reactions can start within minutes of eating.

Mild to Moderate Symptoms

Swelling of lips, face, or eyes
Hives or welts on the skin
Tingling sensation in the mouth
Abdominal pain or vomiting

Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)

EMERGENCY — Any of these signs require immediate action:

Difficult or noisy breathing
Swelling of the tongue
Swelling or tightness in the throat
Wheeze or persistent cough
Difficulty talking or hoarse voice
Persistent dizziness or collapse
Pale and floppy (especially in children)

FOH Tip If a guest who declared an allergy starts looking unwell — even if they say "I'm fine" — take it seriously. Ask if they need help and be ready to act. Early intervention saves lives.

Flashcards

Click each card to reveal the answer.

What are the three tiers of severity?

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1. Intolerance (uncomfortable, not life-threatening), 2. Mild/Moderate allergy (can escalate), 3. Anaphylaxis (life-threatening, even from traces).

What probing question do you ask about severity?

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"Is it mild or anaphylaxis?" and "Are traces okay?" This tells the kitchen how critical the situation is.

Is it safe to give lactose-free milk to a guest with a milk allergy?

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NO. Lactose-free dairy still contains milk proteins that can cause anaphylaxis. Only non-dairy alternatives (soy, oat) are safe.

A guest says "I'm allergic to shellfish." What probing question should you ask?

Click to flip

"Is it all shellfish? Only crustaceans (prawns, crab)? Or only molluscs (squid, oyster sauce)?" The distinction changes which dishes are safe.

What's the difference between a dietary preference and a food allergy?

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A dietary preference (dislikes, vegan, kosher) is a personal/cultural choice with no health risk. A food allergy is an immune reaction that can be life-threatening. Both should be respected, but only allergies/intolerances trigger the allergy procedure.

Knowledge Check

1. A guest says they have a milk allergy. Which of the following is safe to serve them?

Lactose-free milk Low-fat yoghurt Soy milk (if not allergic to soy) Goat's milk

Correct! Soy milk (if they're not also allergic to soy) does not contain milk proteins. Lactose-free dairy, low-fat dairy, and goat's milk ALL still contain milk proteins.

Incorrect. Lactose-free dairy, low-fat dairy, and goat's milk all contain milk proteins that can trigger anaphylaxis. Only non-dairy alternatives like soy milk are safe (if they're not allergic to soy).

2. A guest says "I'm allergic to nuts." What probing question should you ask?

"Would you like to see the dessert menu?" "Is it all nuts or certain nuts? Is it mild or anaphylaxis? Are traces okay?" "That's fine, we don't use nuts" "You should probably eat somewhere else"

Correct! You need to probe for specifics: which nuts, severity (mild or anaphylaxis), and whether traces are okay. This directly affects which dishes are safe.

Incorrect. You must probe for specifics: "Is it all nuts or certain nuts?", "Is it mild or anaphylaxis?", and "Are traces okay?" This information is critical for determining safe dishes.

3. A guest says they don't eat pork for religious reasons. Do you follow the allergy procedure?

Yes, full allergy procedure with red cards No, ignore their request No allergy procedure needed, but accommodate their preference and help them choose suitable dishes

Correct! Dietary preferences (religious, cultural, personal) should be respected and accommodated, but they don't require the allergy procedure since there is no medical risk.

Incorrect. Religious and cultural dietary preferences should be respected and accommodated, but the allergy procedure is for medical conditions (allergies and intolerances), not preferences.

4. A guest who ordered an allergy-safe dish starts showing swelling of the face and hives. They say "I'm fine, it's probably nothing." What should you do?

Accept what they say and continue service Ignore it — it's their responsibility Take it seriously, ask if they need help, alert your manager, and be ready to act

Correct! Mild symptoms can escalate to anaphylaxis very quickly. Take any signs seriously, offer help, and be prepared to follow emergency procedures.

Incorrect. Even mild symptoms can rapidly progress to life-threatening anaphylaxis. You must take it seriously, offer assistance, and be ready to act.