Cooking for people who cannot eat mammal
Western North Carolina sits at the center of alpha gal country. If you have it, you already know the particular exhaustion of trusting someone else with your food. Here is exactly how we handle it, so you can decide for yourself.
What it is
Alpha gal syndrome is an allergy to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a sugar found in most mammals. In this region it is most often triggered by a lone star tick bite. It is not a preference and it is not a sensitivity.
Reactions are frequently delayed by two to six hours, which is what makes it so difficult to trace back to a single meal. Severity ranges widely between people and can change over time.
Where it hides
Beyond the obvious beef, pork, lamb, venison, and bison, alpha gal reactive ingredients turn up in:
This list is not exhaustive, and reactions differ from person to person. Anyone managing alpha gal should work with their own physician or allergist. Nothing here is medical advice.
How 828 handles it
We ask first
Every intake asks about alpha gal directly, along with severity and your own known triggers. Yours are the ones that matter, not a general list.
Sourcing is checked, not assumed
Stocks, sauces, fats, and finishing ingredients get read at the label level. Mammal fat is not used as a default cooking fat.
Separate prep
Alpha gal meals are prepped with clean surfaces, clean tools, and separate cookware, not cooked alongside and plated apart.
Labeled clearly
Every meal comes labeled with what is in it. If you have a question about a dish, you can text the person who cooked it.
We will tell you no
If a menu or an event cannot be done safely for your situation, we say so rather than guessing. That is the whole point.
We are a small kitchen, not a certified allergen-free facility. Mammal products are handled here for other clients. What we can offer is careful sourcing, separate prep, clear labeling, and a chef who will answer the phone. Whether that meets your needs is your call, and we would rather you make it with the full picture.
Ask us anything first
Questions before you order are welcome and expected. Send them and Zak answers directly.
