Dietary Considerations
Chinese food allergy and cross-contact guide
For allergies, the issue is not only what a dish contains. It is also how the kitchen stores, preps, cooks, steams, fries, sauces, and plates the food.
Common cross-contact points
| Kitchen point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Shared wok | The same cooking surface may handle soy sauce, shellfish, wheat, sesame, egg, pork, and peanut-containing dishes. |
| Shared fryer | Spring rolls, fried shrimp, chicken, tofu, and gluten-containing batters may share oil. |
| Shared steamer | Dim sum baskets may carry shrimp, pork, wheat wrappers, egg custard, and sticky rice packets. |
| Sauce station | Ladles, spoons, squeeze bottles, and bulk sauces may cross-contact multiple allergens. |
| Prep station | Cutting boards, knives, strainers, and bowls may move between proteins, vegetables, and dumpling fillings. |
Useful server script
A better question is: “I have a serious allergy to [allergen]. Can you check whether this dish contains it, whether the sauce or broth contains it, and whether it is cooked in shared equipment?”
If the restaurant cannot answer, choose a simpler dish or do not order.