At 11 months old, Philippa Rose Brown was diagnosed with coeliac disease when her parents realised something was very wrong with her.
“We had noticed that Philippa started to lack energy, she was very pale and was being sick a lot,” said Philippa’s dad Liam, boss of popular north-east chipper stalwarts Mike’s Famous Fish and Chips.
“Thankfully after only a few weeks of her being unwell, she was diagnosed via a blood test. Her results were so high it did not require an endoscopy.
“We are extremely grateful for how quickly this all happened as many people wait years for a diagnosis.”
Philippa, now 21 months old, has been completely gluten-free since, and thankfully free from issues.
The experience has caused her dad to totally rethink how the food industry treats people with her condition.
And he wants to do something about it, by having his business lead by example with its own approach to gluten-free options, and calling on the big companies to follow suit.
How the diagnosis has affected the family – and where they frequent to for gluten-free food
Liam, from Inverurie, has vast experience in the food industry.
He is currently the company director at Mike’s Famous Fish and Chips, an award-winning north-east family business which was established in 1978 by his dad Mike.
It currently boasts two branches – on Westpark Drive in Blackburn, and Mugiemoss Road in Aberdeen.
Liam said: “As a family, we love our food and can’t express how much of a foodie our young daughter is.
“She eats everything, like her parents.
“We did not want to miss out on something we enjoy doing together because of her dietary requirement.
“With a bit more research and calls in advance, we have managed to find some excellent options locally for her.
The family “really enjoy” Corner Tree Café.
“They do fantastic gluten-free pancakes which our daughter loves,” he adds.
“We also enjoy a pub lunch at The Garlogie Inn which have a dedicated gluten-free menu, and our local Indian Spice of Life has also been fantastic with her.
“There has been one or two places we have previously enjoyed that will not cater to her. However, we appreciate their honesty and it isn’t worth the risk.”
The extra steps Mike’s Famous Fish and Chips takes to help gluten free diners like Philippa.
Mike’s Famous Fish and Chips takes its gluten-free offering very seriously. By this, I mean that the branches have gluten-free pans where “nothing other than items free from gluten are cooked in.”
There are also added control measures of dividers to stop any oil coming into or from neighbouring pans.
“Our gluten-free menu offers diversity and inclusiveness – fish, fishcakes, chicken fillets, scampi and jumbo sausage,” Liam went on to say.
“We offer a vegan menu [too] that is dairy-free, and we aim to have items that are completely soya free by next quarter.”
And despite a number of north-east food spots improving their gluten-free offerings, Liam believes more needs to be done.
Liam calls on the big names to lead the charge for gluten free menus
He said: “The market and awareness local businesses can adapt to starts at the very top of the fast food chain.
“Coeliac disease affects one in 100 people in the UK,” he says.
“It’s becoming more and more common now for families/groups of friends to have at least one gluten-free person and businesses do not want to miss out by not being able to cater for everyone.
“We also think it is important for food spots to be able to offer a variety of items on their menu and not just a ‘salad’ or ‘baked potato’. It shows they are willing to make an effort and it will bring more business in return.
“Multi-billion dollar companies adding items to their menus – i.e. McDonald’s – tend to start trends and others follow suit.
“We feel that in 2024, now is the time for McDonald’s etc. to seriously consider their offerings for those affected with coeliac.”
Conversation