Picky Eaters

Ideas & Inspiration

Picky Eaters

Q: My fiancé and I are picky eaters. (He’s vegan and I’m gluten intolerant.) Any advice for finding and working with a caterer who can accommodate special diets?

While it’s standard practice to accommodate different eaters with a choice between steak, chicken or fish, restaurants and caterers are also used to making up special plates for those whose diets are particularly restricted, as long as you give them plenty of notice ahead of time.

If you are bent on going whole hog (figuratively, of course), there’s no reason you should have to sacrifice flavor for a vegan meal. Jennifer Katzinzer, who makes organic, gluten-free and vegan desserts at Fremont’s Flying Apron Sustainable Bakery, suggests exploring ethnic food options with your caterer. South Lake Union’s Ravishing Radish, for one, offers complete gluten-free and vegan menus, including rosemary-infused polenta and vegetarian paella, with many items sourced from local farms. But do remember that while your dress and your vows may be all about you, food is one wedding trapping that should be just as pleasing to your guests. “We’ve had people say, ‘We’re allergic to onions, garlic and gluten,’ and then the menu’s just not that fun,” says Ravishing Radish event planning director Vickie Peterson. In the end, she notes, “You want to feed people something yummy.”