Promises carry weight

When a client says "no peanuts — severe allergy" and you say "understood," you've made a promise that affects someone's health. Dietary commitments aren't preferences you can approximate — they're constraints you either meet or you don't.

The professional move is to be precise about what you're promising and honest about what you can't guarantee.

Commit vs clarify

What you can commit to

  • Ingredients you intentionally add (or don't add) to a dish.
  • Following a documented dietary pattern (vegetarian, gluten-free by ingredient, low-sodium) within your knowledge.
  • Reading labels on packaged ingredients and flagging concerns.
  • Maintaining separate prep surfaces and tools when cross-contamination is a stated concern (if your setup supports it).

What you must clarify

  • You are not a medical professional. If a client has a clinical condition (celiac disease, severe anaphylaxis, PKU, renal diet), you should understand the requirements they share with you — but you cannot guarantee clinical-grade food safety unless you have specific training and facilities.
  • Cross-contamination limits. If you're cooking in a client's home with shared equipment, or if you prep for multiple clients, trace allergen control may be beyond what you can promise. Say so.
  • Shared vs dedicated prep. Be clear whether you can offer truly allergen-separated prep or "best effort" avoidance.

How to have the conversation

  • During intake (Lesson 6): "Can you walk me through the dietary needs in detail? I want to make sure I can deliver what you need, and I'll be honest if something is beyond my setup."
  • In your proposal (Lesson 7): state dietary commitments explicitly. "Meals will be free of [listed allergens] by ingredient. I cannot guarantee a fully allergen-free kitchen environment."
  • When unsure: "I want to check on this before I commit — let me research and get back to you." Never guess on allergies.

Honesty under pressure

Sometimes a client pushes: "Just make it work." The professional answer is: "I'd rather be honest now than cause a problem later." Losing a booking is better than causing a reaction. Your reputation — and their health — depend on you saying what you can and can't do, clearly, before you cook.

Before you continue

Review your current client list (or your intake template from Lesson 6). For each client with dietary needs: write down what you've committed to and what you've clarified as limited. If the line is blurry, have the conversation before the next cook day.