Wine Picker founders launch food allergy ‘e-waiter’

The founders of food and wine pairing app Wine Picker have launched a new concept, described as an e-waiter which assists restaurants on topics such as food allergy awareness, wine matching and menu design.

The digital service, called Restaurants Solutions (sic.), will give restaurants expert guidance on food allergies, allowing them to plan their menus and train staff accordingly.

Co-founder and former sommelier at establishments such as Sexy Fish, The Dorchester and Hibiscus, Julien Sahut, said that the concept was born out of an increase in hospital admissions owing to allergic reactions caused by food items.

“The extent of the problem for restaurants is profound, with 4,500 people admitted every year in the UK as a result of food allergies. This figure has increased 72% in the last five years,” Sahut said.

Sahut explained that the new concept would have a dual role. Firstly it allows restaurants to create menus that can be easily navigated by allergy sufferers. Restaurants Solutions has developed technology which allows customers to filter out the dishes which they cannot consume.

Secondly, the software also makes wine recommendations, acting as an “e-sommelier”.

Zela London, which opened last year and is backed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal and Enrique Iglesias, is the first business to use the new technology.

Julien Sahut added: ”We’re very pleased to be able to help both patrons and restaurants with this growing issue and hope that we will be able to aid in tackling the food allergy crisis.”