Food Expert Lara Holland Helping Commercial Kitchens Nationwide Add New Allergen-Friendly Entrees to Menus

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 14, 2012 (Press-News.org) There are an estimated 12 million Americans who suffer from food allergies and if and Food Expert Lara Holland has her way, she'll be helping every single one of them.

Holland is a food expert who trains professionals on how to manage food allergen and gluten free environments in commercial kitchens. She is certified to teach the program through Kitchens with Confidence, which is approved by the American Culinary Federation. Those who take her classes gain ACF credits while nutritionists gain similar credits from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Her presentations on how to create allergen friendly menus and her recipes help promote business for her clients and bring full flavored food options that people love weather they are food allergic or not. As a food allergy sufferer, Holland initially researched her specialty craft as a way of helping herself, but her interest grew as she learned more about the lack of opportunities in the restaurant and bakery marketplace.

"I simply wanted to be able to go out to eat at a restaurant without having to worry about having an allergic reaction because of the restaurant's limited menu options for the food allergic," Holland said. "I started looking into it, making some suggestions to local eateries and then it just felt natural to become certified because, the more I learned, the more I enjoyed it. It's snowballed from there."

Holland's mission: to meet the needs of people impacted by food allergies and the facilities serving them. So while those suffering from food allergies are restricted by the restaurants, bakeries and other facilities they can frequent, likewise are those establishments limited because they are shutting out potential customers with current menu choices.

"We work with restaurants and other facilities to provide solutions in recipe development, special menu design, education, training, awareness, and safety," she said. "By no means are they altering the focus for existing customers, but they are offering additional opportunities for the millions with food allergies to now visit these establishments."

Holland's process for working with commercial establishments is a clear-cut six-step approach:
• Food Allergy Awareness & Sensitivity Training
• Ingredient Analysis
• Foodology & Smart Menu Design
• Learning to Cook Allergy Friendly
• Food Allergy Approval & Marketing
• Follow Up

"It's incredible that 4 percent of the US population is allergic to some food in your kitchen and over 150 Million people worldwide are food allergic. I focus on that number because we have a large tourism population. When people travel, they almost always have to eat out. I don't know how many people realize that?" said Holland. "Plus, there are an additional 3 million people in the US that have celiac disease, which requires them to be 100 percent gluten free. Socializing is all about food usually, I want the food allergic to be able to enjoy socializing and eating out again.

About Lara Holland
Lara is a self-diagnosed "foodie." She has a love for savory, beautiful food. She loves to cook, cater, and educate herself and others. She has been a food adventurer but is now referred to as "Food Allergy Gal" because she has to analyze every ingredient and menu item, ask for everything to be modified, and provide suggestions to preserve flavor and quality in her food due to food allergies. . Holland has spent 10 years researching and providing nutrition, food, and allergen friendly cooking advice. She not only works with commercial kitchens and chefs, but she hosts private "foodie" groups for parties of 10 or more to teach her philosophies.

For more information about Lara Holland, visit her website at http://www.ilaraholland.com, read her blog at foodallergygal.blogspot.com, email her at LaraHolland@me.com, or follow her on Facebook.