The 2014 AllergyEats Food Allergy Conference for Restaurateurs & Food Service Professionals: How to Maximize Safety and Increase Customer Engagement, Loyalty, and Revenue is an event for restaurant chefs, owners, managers, college and university dining directors, and other foodservice professionals that strive to become more knowledgeable about accommodating food-allergic and gluten intolerant guests safely, comfortably, and profitably.  

This event, the only industry conference of its kind, is presented by AllergyEats, the leading guide to allergy-friendly restaurants nationwide.  

The conference will have a roster of prestigious speakers, including well-respected restaurateurs that excel at accommodating food-allergic guests, notable food allergy trainers, prominent physicians/allergists, experts in the financials of food allergies, specialists in creating allergy-friendly recipes, and others. 

These presenters will provide valuable information about accommodating food-allergic and gluten intolerant guests, reducing the fear around food allergies, and building customer loyalty and profits. They'll also share actionable tips to make restaurants safer for food-allergic diners.

"Our speakers will discuss protocols to improve communication, avoid cross-contamination, create allergen-free meals, and better accommodate guests with dietary restrictions," says Paul Antico, founder and CEO of AllergyEats, father of three food-allergic children, and passionate food allergy advocate.  "We'll also discuss the significant financial benefits that allergy-friendly restaurants can experience.

"Conference attendees will learn that the process of becoming allergy-friendly doesn't need to be overwhelming, complicated or expensive to implement, yet the benefits to their business can be tremendous."

The conference will be held on Tuesday, October 21, beginning at 8:00 am, at the Radisson Martinique on Broadway, 49 W 32nd Street in New York City.  A limited block of discounted overnight rooms is available for conference attendees who register early.  The event is sponsored by Mylan Specialty L.P.,as well as Nation's Restaurant News,  the New York State Restaurant Association, MenuTrinfo, and Gipsee.

Topics will include:

• Food Allergy Basics – This session will spotlight fundamentals, statistics, and the realities of accommodating food-allergic and food-intolerant guests. It will also showcase how food-allergic individuals deal with everyday life, and what they look for in a restaurant when dining out. 
• Restaurants That Get it Right – Expert restaurateurs who excel at accommodating food-allergic guests will spotlight their restaurants' best practices, as well as their successful food allergy procedures and protocols.  They'll explain why they're committed to being allergy-friendly and describe guests' reactions, including their increased loyalty.
• Basic Training – Top restaurant trainers who specialize in food allergies and other special dietary requirements will speak about the process of becoming more allergy-friendly.  This session will discuss how restaurants can become more accommodating, improve safety and minimize risks, implement and execute food allergy protocols and become more confident in their food allergy procedures.
• Modifying Recipes for the Food-Allergic Diner – Expert food allergy chefs will provide simple solutions for recipe substitutions, teaching food service professionals how to replace common allergens in their commercial kitchens.  Whether it’s dairy, gluten, eggs, or soy that guests need to avoid, stocking a few go-to items in their restaurants will help chefs easily adapt recipes for food-allergic customers.
• Food Allergies in Colleges & Universities – Colleges and universities have unique challenges serving food-allergic and gluten-intolerant diners 3 meals per day, 7 days per week.  This session will highlight valuable solutions to improve food allergy protocols on campus, including staff training, menu development, communications with food-allergic students, optimal practices, and more.
• The Financials Around Food Allergies – This session will explore the economics of accommodating food-allergic diners, including the increased loyalty and profit opportunities, demonstrating how restaurants can make significantly more money by becoming allergy-friendly. 

Attendees will enjoy lunch with the experts and have ample time for Q&A during each session. They can also sample vendors' allergy-friendly products and meet with our sponsors at the event.

Advanced registration is required. Registration is $279 per person. Early bird registration is $259 until September 21, 2014. Group discounts are also available. To register and for more information, please visit www.allergyeats.com/conference. 

"The conference exceeded my expectations. It was educational on the best practices perspective from real restaurant operators. These folks are showing you can be allergy friendly while at the same time operating great restaurants that also make money," says Bob Luz, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and 2013 event attendee.

"Attendees at our two previous conferences raved about the high caliber of speakers and the constructive information they learned from our experts," Antico says. "The feedback we received over the last two years was overwhelmingly positive, and we're looking forward to another informative and successful conference this fall."