We’re just over two weeks away from Coeliac Awareness Week between 12^th – 18^th May 2008. As part of its awareness campaign, ‘Food Without Fear’, Coeliac UK, the national Charity for people with coeliac disease, launched a competition on Wednesday 13^th February 2008 for chefs throughout the UK to design a unique and innovative gluten-free recipe, which will be judged by award-winning chef, Giorgio Locatelli.

Coeliac disease is not a food allergy; it is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. Damage to the gut lining occurs when gluten is eaten. There is no cure or medication for the condition; the only treatment is life-long adherence to a strict gluten-free diet.

At least 1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease; so for the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, being careful about what they eat is not just a faddy diet – it is an essential way of life. Without a gluten-free diet, the disease can lead to other conditions, such as malnutrition, osteoporosis, bowel cancer and also can cause infertility problems.

Coeliac UK is looking for exciting and delicious gluten-free recipes to encourage awareness of the condition and need for gluten-free options across the catering sector, from restaurants and cafes to work canteens and even hospitals!

With the number of people being diagnosed with the disease increasing year on year, the catering sector is not only neglecting a growing percentage of the population, it is losing out financially, as the majority of people with the condition, plus their families and friends, are choosing not to eat out in order to protect their health. 67% of respondents in a survey¹ carried out by Oxford University said that were less likely to eat out after they had been diagnosed with coeliac disease.

Coeliac UK is calling on all chefs, from those who are well established to trainees to design or adapt a recipe. It could be a starter, main course or dessert, or even a three-course menu.

Giorgio Locatelli leading chef and proprietor of award winning Locanda Locatelli is supporting the Coeliac UK recipe competition and will be judging the entries. “I am delighted to be involved with Coeliac UK’s Awareness Week campaign, Food Without Fear. Eating out should be a pleasure for everyone, but can be such a minefield for people with coeliac disease; I hope that more chefs will learn and understand the ease it can be to provide tasty, interesting gluten-free options on their menus,” said Mr Locatelli.

“I urge all chefs whatever their experience, to enter this competition and in so doing learn more about gluten-free cooking. Try and be inventive, rather than just suggesting using gluten-free flour in a recipe, consider for example, different ways to thicken a sauce without the need for gluten at all,” added Mr Locatelli.

When designing the recipe, it is important that entrants consider the risk of cross-contamination. It is vital to use clean utensils, separate chopping boards, as well as clean oil for frying if cooking in any area where gluten is present. Even the smallest trace of gluten can cause a person with coeliac disease to become extremely unwell.

The best recipes will feature in Coeliac UK’s Crossed Grain magazine, which goes out to the Charity’s 80,000 strong membership and the overall winner will be named the Coeliac UK gluten-free chef of the year.

How to enter

Chefs should send their recipe by 31^st May 2008 to: Coeliac UK, either by email to competition@coeliac.org.uk or by post to: Recipe Competition, Coeliac UK, Suites A-D, Octagon Court, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 2HS.

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