The Piper pub in Hoole, Chester, has relaunched an extensive and inclusive gluten-free menu crafted in collaboration with Punch Pubs & Co Food Business Manager, Seamus Dougan.
Management Partners Emma and Alan took over the community pub on Pipers Lane this March. Both are passionate hospitality stars who have worked in numerous chain restaurants and have seen firsthand the severity of allergies and intolerances, such as coeliac disease.
Although offering a gluten-free menu isn’t revolutionary in the industry, Emma and Alan wanted to go further. With five coeliacs in their immediate family, their personal connection motivated them to tailor their menus to be more inclusive whilst offering a wider selection of food choices to gluten-intolerant guests.
Alan said: “It started off with a conversation with our Food Business Manager Seamus. We explained that we were passionate about expanding the gluten-free menu in the pub, and we immediately got to work on planning and designing some dishes.
“From personal experiences, dining out in pubs and restaurants can be problematic or restricting when you have intolerances, so we wanted to ensure that guests could enjoy the foods that they love without the risk of contamination.”
Guests can now indulge in a variety of gluten-free dishes at The Piper, all of which are prepared by experienced kitchen staff, one of whom is coeliac themselves. Their favourites include hand-battered fish and chips, triple stack burgers, and crispy onion rings, in addition to their salted caramel brownie and a variety of ice creams.
Alan continued: “Seamus has been a huge help in bringing our idea to life; he started this journey for us, and now it’s down to us to promote it. We know that there is scope for this to be huge and we’ve already had some excellent feedback. Our guests were excited about the menu before it had even launched!
“We want to continue to raise awareness around the severity of Coeliac disease whilst ensuring our guests continue to enjoy high-quality food produced in a safe environment.”
The Piper’s gluten-free menu is available seven days a week, all year round and is now available on the pub’s website too.