Allergy Chef Card: What to Include (Free in 10 Languages)

An allergy chef card should name every food you need to avoid, explain how serious your allergy is, and ask the kitchen to clean the utensils and surfaces used for your meal. Carry a few copies, hand one to your server, and talk through your needs before ordering. A card helps communicate; it doesn’t replace a conversation with staff.

What is an allergy chef card?

An allergy chef card is a small printed note for restaurant staff. It puts your allergies and preparation requests in writing, so your server can share them with the kitchen. This can help when a restaurant is busy or when you’re dining somewhere you don’t speak the local language. The Allergy & Asthma Network explains how chef cards can help diners communicate.

A card communicates your request in writing, but it does not provide information about ingredients or kitchen practices. Recipes, suppliers, equipment, and preparation methods vary. Tell your server about your allergies, ask them to check with the kitchen, and listen to what the staff can confirm. If the answer is unclear, you can ask follow-up questions before deciding what to order.

What should you put on your allergy chef card?

Make the card easy to scan. Use plain language, and spell out each ingredient rather than relying on a symbol or a broad category.

Include:

A clear allergy statement: Say that you have a food allergy. If it’s severe or life-threatening, say so plainly.
Every allergen you avoid: List each one by name. If you’re allergic to only some tree nuts, name the specific nuts you need to avoid rather than writing only “tree nuts.”
A cross-contact request: Ask that your food contain none of the listed ingredients, and that the utensils, preparation surfaces, and equipment used for your meal be thoroughly cleaned immediately before use.
A brief note about severity: A short description helps staff understand why the request matters. Keep it accurate and concise.
A polite closing: “Thank you for your help” keeps the request courteous and direct.

You can add your name or a contact number if you want, though that’s optional. Keep personal details limited to what you’re comfortable sharing. FARE’s chef card resources include examples and templates you can adapt.

How do you write the kitchen instructions?

Use direct requests that staff can relay to the person preparing your food. Avoid vague phrases such as “a little allergic” or “please be careful.” Name the allergen and describe the action you’re asking the kitchen to take.

For example:

I have a severe allergy to peanuts. Please make my food without peanuts or peanut ingredients. Before preparing it, please thoroughly clean the utensils, surfaces, and equipment used for my meal. Thank you for checking with the kitchen.

Replace “peanuts” with your own allergens. Add separate, specific names when needed. If you have a tree nut allergy, for instance, list the nuts you react to rather than assuming the kitchen knows which ones you mean.

Keep the message focused. A long explanation can be harder to read while the line is busy. You can share more detail in conversation, including what you need the server to ask the kitchen. For another way to prepare for that exchange, see this guide to handling guest allergy questions.

How do you use a chef card at a restaurant?

Tell your server before ordering. Say that you have a food allergy and need the kitchen to confirm whether it can prepare your meal with your requests.
Hand over the card. Ask your server to share it with the kitchen, rather than relying on a verbal message alone.
Ask for a clear answer. The server can check ingredients and preparation with the kitchen. If the answer doesn’t address your specific allergy or cleaning request, ask them to clarify.
Confirm your order when it arrives. Make sure the dish brought to you is the one the staff discussed. If something looks different or you’re uncertain, pause and ask your server.

A realistic exchange might be: “I have a severe sesame allergy. Could you share this card with the kitchen and check whether they can prepare my order without sesame?” The server might reply, “I’ll check with the kitchen.” Wait for that check before ordering. Staff should confirm the details with the kitchen, since a card can’t confirm a recipe or how a dish was prepared.

A written request can get the message to the kitchen, but staff still need to confirm each order. This restaurant cross-contact checklist explains the preparation details a kitchen may need to review.

How can you get a chef card in another language?

If you’re traveling or dining with staff who speak another language, a translated card can make your written request easier to communicate. Check that every allergen and instruction on the translated version matches your needs before you print it.

FARE offers an interactive card in English and 10 other languages: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. Its template lets you enter your specific allergens. See FARE’s printable chef card.

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia also provides translated cards in 21 languages. Its options include Arabic, Hindi, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and others. Browse the translated chef cards.

Translations can help with the initial request, but they don’t replace checking what the restaurant can confirm. If staff can’t understand the card or answer your questions, consider whether you have enough information to make an ordering decision.

How many cards should you carry?

Carry more than one copy so you can hand one to staff and keep a spare. A wallet or bag is a handy place to store them. Laminating printed cards can help them hold up to regular use. You can also keep a digital copy to email a restaurant in advance, then bring a printed version for the meal.

Before each outing, check that the card still lists all your current allergies and uses instructions that match what you need. If an allergy changes, replace the old copies and update the digital file. Don’t use a card with outdated information.

Where can you print a free allergy chef card?

You can use a printable allergy chef card tool and fill in your own allergens, or write a card yourself using the elements above. FARE provides a customizable card and a collection of chef card resources. Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia has translated versions for many languages.

Some restaurants publish menus on Can I Dine?™ that guests can filter by allergy in 10 languages. Menu filters organize information the restaurant provides; they don’t confirm preparation. Tell staff about your allergies, and have them confirm your order with the kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

What should an allergy chef card say?

Name every food you need to avoid, state that you have an allergy, and describe its severity if that matters to your request. Ask the kitchen to prepare your food without those ingredients and to thoroughly clean the utensils, surfaces, and equipment used for your meal. Add a polite thank-you. Tell staff about your allergy and have them confirm the details with the kitchen.

Should I list specific tree nuts on my chef card?

Yes. If you’re allergic to only some tree nuts, name each one you need to avoid. A general phrase like “tree nuts” may not tell staff which nuts apply to you. Review your card whenever your allergy information changes, and make sure every printed or digital copy has the current list.

Does handing over an allergy chef card replace talking to the server?

No. A card communicates your request in writing and can help the server relay it to the kitchen. It can’t confirm ingredients, recipes, or preparation. Tell your server about your allergies, ask them to check with the kitchen, and ask follow-up questions if the response doesn’t address your specific needs.

Can I use an allergy chef card while traveling?

Yes. A translated card can help communicate your allergies and preparation requests when you’re dining in another language. Check that the translation lists your specific allergens and instructions correctly. Give the card to your server, then ask them to confirm with the kitchen. If staff can’t clarify your request, you may not have enough information to order.

Should I carry a printed card if I have a digital one?

It can help to carry both. You can email a digital version to a restaurant in advance, and a printed copy is ready to hand to your server at the meal. Carry a spare, and consider laminating the printed copies so they hold up to regular use. Keep every version current if your allergy information changes.

Sources

Can I Dine?™ organizes the information a restaurant provides so guests and staff can have a clearer conversation. It doesn't inspect kitchens or certify allergen-free preparation. Always tell your server about your allergies before ordering.