Discover how to travel and eat out with confidence!  

Tell us a bit about yourself, Polly. 

“I’m on the wrong side of 35 (!) and was born in Scotland, where I was diagnosed with PKU at the age of one week. I have classic PKU. My family emigrated to New Zealand when I was young, but I’ve been living in the UK for over a decade now.”

Where does your passion for inspiring other PKU travellers come from? 

“A few years ago, I gave a presentation about eating out and travelling with PKU. It was published in the NSPKU News & Views newsletter. The many reactions made me realise how important it is to dare to ask for help when following a low-protein diet. 

It’s easy to think, ‘This is my diet, so I have to deal with it myself.’ But in reality, most people are willing to help — as long as you ask. Sure, you’ll get the occasional rejection, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try again!”

When did you become confident about eating out? 

“That changed one day when a colleague was organising a company party and asked the venue if they could arrange something for me. When they replied that I’d have to bring my own food, my colleague refused and demanded a better solution. That’s when I realised — everyone expects good service in a restaurant, so why not me?

I’ve taken my PKU diet to more than 15 countries. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve asked chefs to make adjustments. Even in France — where meat and cheese are king — they helped me. You’d be surprised how flexible people can be!

Nowadays, with social media and online reviews, restaurants rarely dare to say no. And if they do, you just go somewhere else. Most experiences far outweigh the few times it doesn’t work out.”

Can you share a few dining experiences? 

“Often, I even got better service than my table companions! A Michelin-starred chef saw it as a challenge and created a seven-course menu just for me — my friends looked on jealously! A chef in New Zealand loved cooking for me, as long as I called him a day in advance so he could get fresh ingredients.”

What is your advice to other people with PKU for great dining experiences?

The secret ingredient is planning. 

• Contact restaurants and hotels in advance. Don’t wait until the day itself — kitchens are often too busy to come up with something at short notice.
• Give clear instructions and be polite. You’ll be surprised how many restaurants are willing to think along.
  
• Look up vegetarian restaurants. In Bruges, I found a restaurant where I could order a full three-course menu without any adjustments. More and more restaurants are focusing on vegetables rather than meat.