AllerTrain™ by MenuTrinfo® LLC, hosted its fourth annual allergy awards and selected winners in 9 distinguished categories. Despite the current state of the world with COVID-19, the team at AllerTrain found it crucial to celebrate the food allergy champions across the nation and beyond.
The AllerTrain™ team selected winners from universities and restaurants to recognize outstanding restaurant and university leaders in the food service industry leading food allergy training and safety. These awards are aimed at recognizing outstanding leaders that deserve to be celebrated for their achievements.
The panel of food allergy experts and trainers who selected this year’s winners chose from an extremely diverse nomination pool. Due to the overwhelming response to the awards and nominations, 2 new categories have been added- Best Food Allergy Program for Universities in Canada, and Best Food Allergy Program for Resorts. All winners were notified via email and will have their awards mailed directly to them.
“I am honored to be involved with picking this year’s Allergy Awards! Due to COVID-19, we know times have been stressful, but it was uplifting to see the amazing nominations and be able to recognize industry leaders.” said Madeleine Stachel, AllerTrain™ Manager
The winners of the 2020 Allergy Awards:
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Training for Restaurants | DigInn |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Training for Universities | Syracuse University |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Innovation for Restaurants | Jules on the Green |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Innovation for Universities | Michigan State University |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Champion for Restaurants | Mission BBQ |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Champion for Universities | Phillips Academy |
| 2020 Best Overall Food Allergy Program for Universities | University of Arizona Dining |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Program for Universities in Canada | University of British Columbia Food Services |
| 2020 Best Food Allergy Program for Resorts | Blue Mountain Resort |
“It is an honor to be recognized by AllerTrain™ by MenuTrinfo® as the 2020 Best Food Allergy Training Program for Universities. Syracuse University is committed to providing a safe and worry-free dining experience for our students, faculty, and staff. This recognition provides our customers with special diets an additional level of comfort when choosing foods served in our facilities. Campus registered dietitian Ruth Sullivan does an outstanding job leading the efforts to make ours a premier food allergy training program among universities.” – Mark Tewksbury, Director of Food Services at Syracuse University
“On behalf of my staff & team, I thank you for this wonderful award. It is their dedication and commitment to food intolerances which has earned this honor for our company. At Jules on the Green®, creating a safe eating opportunity for everyone is the core of our mission. We are committed to creating recipes and menu options which offer inclusion for every person dining with us. Together we will help provide a safe place to eat for those with food allergies and create a better experience for all families and our communities.” – Silvio Mazzella, CEO, The Mazzella Group & JULES Restaurants
“Our team has shown great passion for ensuring those dining on campus not only have a safe experience but are well nourished when they Eat at State. We strive to set the industry standard and continue innovating with developments like our certified allergen-free dining hall, unique options for concessions venues and more. Amid the current COVID-19 response, we are pleased to share the good news and acknowledge this significant honor.” – Rebecca Selesky, Executive Director of MSU Culinary Services
“We both are delighted and honored to be recognized by AllerTrain with this very special award, as it highlights our on-going devotion to meeting the nutritional needs of the Phillips Academy community with stellar results. Thank you!”- Aggie Giglio Kip, MS, RD, CSSD, Nutrition Counselor, Performance Dietician, and Coordinator of Nutrition Programs and Paul Robarge, Senior Food Service Director both at Phillips Academy
“The University of Arizona Dining and Student Unions are honored to be named AllerTrain’s Best Food Allergy Program for Universities. We have worked with campus partners including Disability Resources, Residential Life, Campus Health and Dean of Students Office to ensure our food allergy program is cohesive. We are dedicated to assisting our students and campus community members with food allergies or celiac disease.” – Christine Carlson, MS, RD, CSSD, CDE, FAND, Senior Associate Director, Dining and Nutrition, The University of Arizona
“We are honoured to be recognized for the work we do to support students with food allergies at UBC. We know how stressful it can be, especially for first year students who may be managing an allergy on their own for the first time, and we hope to make their dining experience with us exceptional.” – Melissa Baker, MHSc, RD, Manager, Nutrition & Wellbeing, The University of British Columbia
“We here at Blue Mountain Resorts take Food Allergies extremely seriously. I thank you for your recognition of our Allergy Program at Blue Mountain Resorts in Ontario Canada. The efforts of many hard-working individuals have made this possible, I will be sure to pass on our success.” – Adam McMaster, Food Safety Coordinator at Blue Mountain Resort
The AllerTrain™ team is thrilled to select another group of outstanding industry leaders through their fourth annual allergy awards. These winners join the ranks of other incredible leaders in the industry. Some of the past winners include Vanderbilt University, University at Buffalo, Universal Studios Orlando, First Watch, Purdue University, Cornell University, Portillo’s, Red Robin, Eat n’ Park, and more. Congratulations to this year’s winners and all the amazing nominees on your continued hard work and dedication to keep diners with food allergies safe.
Due to COVID-19 we weren’t sure how this year’s allergy awards would play out, but I was determined to use our platform and shine a light on the great work these food industry heroes are doing. Each year I am blown away by the nominations we receive. I am confident that this new decade will bring amazing accommodations that the food allergy community will directly benefit from. We have had the privilege of working with so many of these companies, universities, restaurants, and resorts and this year I am thrilled to add two new award sections recognizing universities in Canada and resorts. These folks are true rock stars and MenuTrinfo® is honored to host these awards.
said Betsy Craig, CEO of MenuTrinfo®
AllerTrain™ is especially excited to expand their awards to include resorts and universities in Canada. The demand has been increasing exponentially over the years for restaurants, resorts, universities, and manufacturers to safely serve diners with food allergies. There are so many who have stepped up to the plate and work tirelessly to keep these diners safe. These awards are aimed at recognizing these industry heroes and this year with the global pandemic there is a laser focus on the importance of food safety.
AllerTrain™ will accept nominations for the fifth annual allergy awards in spring 2021. All nominations will be accepted via their website www.allertrain.com and winners will be announced May 2021.
About MenuTrinfo®, LLC
MenuTrinfo® is dedicated to bettering the food-service industry by providing three major services: Certified Nutritionals and food allergy/ gluten-free identification under the MenuTrinfo brand, food safety and allergen/gluten-free training known as AllerTrain™, and full-service kitchen audits for facilities and products known as “Certified Free From ™” by Kitchens with Confidence™.
So, whether you need help with menu labeling, identifying menu items containing allergens or gluten, learning how to serve customers with food allergies or intolerances, or are looking to certify your kitchen free from some of the top allergens or gluten, MenuTrinfo® is here to help! Start at www.MenuTrinfo.com to find information on all our services. MenuTrinfo®: Protecting lives and health through nutrition and training.
About AllerTrain™ by MenuTrinfo®
AllerTrain™ offers the only ANSI accredited food allergy and gluten-free training courses for the foodservice industry and provides nutritional counseling and policy development. The courses have been approved to provide allergen training the states of Michigan, Illinois and Montgomery County, MD. AllerTrain™ teaches foodservice professionals about the top foods causing food allergies, proper protocol for preparing food to avoid cross-contact and how to better serve diners with special dietary needs. Visit www.allertrain.com for more information.
