Sumo Salad: Shame File Member

It’s not often that I venture out into the Scary Land of Food Court, but yesterday I forgot my lunch and couldn’t stomach the thought of tackling Woolworths during the lunchtime rush. So off I trotted to inspect the wares on offer, thinking I’d probably have to settle for some plain sushi, but after some time I decided to tackle Sumo Salad in the QV Melbourne Food Court, to see if they could feed me.

I haven’t been to Sumo since before my diagnosis, and while I did miss them I was also unsure if they actually have anything that was safe for me to eat. I didn’t want to waste time wondering, so I went straight to the cashier and enquired directly.

To my surprise, they did have some gluten free options that they were happy to make up fresh for me! I was thrilled - pumpkin and pine nut is one of my favourite combinations and they could offer it to me! As I ordered I stressed it needed to be completely, 100% gluten free and prepared carefully, naturally I was assured that would happen.

It’s a good thing I don’t trust people when it comes to preparing my food.

Messy but so delicious,
if only I could eat you!

This particular Sumo Salad Bar had an open kitchen so I could see the food being prepared. Utensils were not washed between uses, and the preparation area was unclean. There were only a few people waiting so I could confidently pick which salad was mine, and as I watched I was filled with dismay.

My salad was being handled with unclean gloves, and was being mixed with unclean tongs that I’d just seen handling pasta. When she called my number I grabbed my salad and said ‘so this is completely gluten free as I asked?’

To give credit where credit is due, the person preparing my food told the truth.

‘No, it’s not,’ she replied, ‘Sumo Salad don’t do gluten free, we only do gluten friendly.’

Ummm… what?

‘We make salads that don’t have gluten in the ingredients, but we won’t guarantee that as we prepare the salads that they’re not exposed to it.’

Alright, so that is NOT what I'd classify to be gluten friendly. What does gluten friendly mean anyway? Does their gluten likes to socialise? Mix in with other foods when it shouldn't? That's as ridiculous as Coffee Club who advertise their food as 'minimal gluten.'

‘Okay,’ I replied, ‘I wasn’t told that when I ordered. I can’t eat this unless you can guarantee it’s completely gluten free.’

‘Well, I can't,’ was the reply I got. At this point the cashier came over, having heard our interaction, and assured me with complete confidence that my salad was completely gluten free! In the end I gave up and took my salad away.

Before eating, I tipped it out onto a plate and examined it, which is when I found a piece of pasta.

Sumo Salad, you are NAMED AND SHAMED.

So upon review of Sumo Salad's website (at the time of publication their website was down) it does explain that they are 'gluten friendly,' not 'gluten free' and do not guarantee that cross-contamination won't occur. At least they're being honest, but they may as well just put up a sign that says 'Coeliacs Not Welcome.' It would save us a lot of time and potential illness if they did.

So come on Sumo, you look like a great company - why don't you step up to the plate and look after a large market of customers who quite often don't have any other options in a Food Court! Surely it's not that hard to train your staff that when they hear the words 'gluten free' that they need to put their serious hat on, whack on a new pair of gloves, grab a clean bowl and tongs and prepare the food safely.

Gluten friendly to gluten FREE... it's not that big a step. So what do you say?