Discover how to travel and eat out with confidence!  

Tell us a bit about yourself, Polly. 

"I'm now on the wrong side of the 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 realize how important it is to dare to ask for help with 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 for it. 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 organizing a company party and asked the venue if they could arrange something for me. When they replied that I had to bring my own food, my colleague rejected that and demanded a better solution. Then I realized: everyone expects good service in a restaurant, so why not me?"  

"I have taken my PKU diet to more than 15 countries. Everywhere I have 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 that does happen, you just go somewhere else. Most experiences far outweigh the few times it doesn't work!"  

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 PKU people for great dining experiences? 

The secret ingredient is PLANNING. 

• Please contact restaurants and hotels in advance. Don't wait until the day itself—kitchens are often too busy to come up with something new. 
• 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 adjustments. 

More and more restaurants are focusing on vegetables instead of meat. One of my favourite places is The Grain Store in the UK, where chef Bruno Loubet emphasizes vegetable dishes. Often I can order something from the menu directly there! 

In short, with a little confidence and good preparation, we with PKU can enjoy eating out just as much—if not more—as our friends and family.