A Gluten Free Podcast

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 212My guest on today’s episode is head chef at Diggers Miranda RSL, Andrew Harper. We’ll chat about why he changed his kitchen to create safe gluten free options, the importance of listening to feedback from the coeliac and gluten free community and how others in hospitality can learn from his approach. What we’ll cover: * Andrew’s background as a chef and his career in hospitality * Andrew cooking in a pizza shop and an Italian restaurant * Andrew’s passion for food and having a mentor at Valentino’s * Opening Little Italy restaurant * Moving to Diggers Miranda * Andrew’s experience of gluten free protocols in Sicily and Rome * How a customer helped Andrew to make safe gluten free food * Wife of a board member having coeliac disease and cooking gluten free for her * Coeliac customers bringing in more coeliacs into the RSL * Customers talking about the RSL on Facebook * The decision to remove all wheat out of the kitchen * Learning and listening to the feedback from coeliac customers * The financial decision to do gluten free correctly * Andrew’s experience of going to a hospitality training course and the negative comments he heard about his gluten free approach in the RSL* RSL’s financial growth since going gluten free * Catering to other dietary requirements for customers * Andrew hearing stories from coeliac customers having bad experiences and the stress they experience in a shared kitchen * The kitchen, front of house staff and managers learning about the transition to gluten free food * Gluten free deep fried icecream * Approach to marking gluten free menu items and dealing with gluten free preconceptions * 2025 December special deserts * Plans for the RSL for the future * How Andrew feels we can create more awareness of coeliac disease and the gluten free in society * Educating and showing venues that making great gluten free options LinksDiggers Miranda RSLFollow Diggers Miranda RSL on Facebook and Instagram  Follow Andrew Harper on Instagram 📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 211Today I reflect on five gluten free life lessons from 2025. It's been a great year! There's been heaps of takeaways, things I've reflected on and struggles and wins throughout the year. I wanted to share the five biggest things I've learnt and hopefully by sharing them it will help you in your own coeliac and gluten free journey. What we'll cover: * Reflecting on last week's episode with mucosal Immunologist and Coeliac Disease Researcher at James Cook University, Dr Paul Giacomin * My hopes for coeliac disease and the gluten free diet in the future * Touching on next year's content for A Gluten Free Podcast * Importance of remaining objective and doing out best to not judge others for how they navigate their own coeliac disease and gluten free journey * 5 gluten free lessons from 2025* Importance of keeping up to date with medical check ups * Coeliac disease antibodies not coming down despite adherence to a strict gluten free diet * My osteopenia and ADHD diagnoses  * Meal prepping and planning to save time, money and energy * Asking questions and finding options depending on the level of knowledge in shared gluten and gluten free kitchens * Importance of leaving reviews for good gluten free experiences at restaurants and cafes * Staying connected with the coeliac and gluten free community * Teaser of next week's episode Links Buy Gluten Free Express by Helen Tzouganatos *This is an Amazon affiliate link. We earn a small amount when you purchase this book with our code* Enter our gluten free Christmas giveaway boxEpisode with The Coeliac Connection Founder, Jo WynneHow We Can Improve Coeliac Disease & Gluten Free Education & Awareness in the Australian Hospitality Industry with NSW Food Authority CEO, Andrew Davies Holistic Health Coach & Founder of 'The Healthy Celiac', Belinda Whelan episode Join our Podcast Facebook group Episode with Dr Paul Giacomin Episode with Dr Vincent Ho at Campbelltown Hospital Coeliac Australia's advice on monitoring and follow-up of coeliac disease 📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 210My guest on today’s episode is Mucosal Immunologist and Coeliac Disease Researcher at James Cook University, Dr Paul Giacomin. We’ll talk about a study involving hookworms in the treatment for people with coeliac disease, the insights from this research and how these studies can be used to learn more about alternative treatments for coeliac disease in the future. What we’ll cover: * Dr Giacomin’s role at James Cook University and how he came to work in coeliac disease research * Dr Giacomin’s background in working on ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases* How intestinal worms can play a role in our immune system and inflammation in our bodies * How the idea for hookworms in the treatment of coeliac disease came about * The positives and negatives of intestinal worms in our health * Australian trial of hookworms in the study of coeliac disease in 2008* The tolerance levels of participants in coeliac disease hookworms study in 2012 * Insights from the hookworms study and why a therapeutic follow up trial didn’t happen * How hookworms can have a potential broad immune effect on other diseases and health issues * Where hookworms come from and how they are transferred to humans * Participants’ experience of living with hookworms* When to visit your GP if you suspect a worm infection * How hookworms are boosting tolerance in the immune system and protection from gluten in people with coeliac disease * How hookworms could be turned into synthetic versions in the form of medications * Plans for future hookworms in the treatment for coeliac disease * Progressing hookworm treatment programs* How the findings of hookworm studies in coeliac disease be applied to IBD (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, etc) * Triggers of autoimmune diseases * How to keep up to date with Dr Giacomin’s research trials and get into contact with him Links Hookworms for the treatment of coeliac disease symptoms study Coeliac Australia article on Worms study Email Dr Paul Giacomin: [email protected] our podcast facebook group Email us: [email protected] podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 209 Today on the podcast we'll discuss why it's so important to not only complain about issues within the coeliac disease and gluten free community but to also take proactive action on those issues. When we collectively come together as a community we can achieve great things. Power in numbers gluten free fam. You'll hear a great example of the community doing that in today's episode. What we'll cover: * Reflecting on last week's episode with NSW Food Authority CEO, Andrew Davies * Upcoming first roundtable discussion around making changes in coeliac disease and gluten free awareness within the hospitality industry * IL-2 diagnostic tool for coeliac disease * Complaints within the gluten free community versus taking action where you'd like changes made * My own coeliac disease diagnosis journey and why I wanted to make changes to help this community * How we can work together to help spread coeliac disease and gluten free awareness * Feeding Gluten Free Fundraiser * How Gabby & Liz used action to help this fundraiser* Teaser of next week's guest episode with a coeliac disease researcher Links Follow us on Instagram Join our podcast facebook group Coeliac Australia's gluten challenge and diagnosis process advice Feeding Gluten Free Fundraiser blog Email: [email protected] podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam! 

A Gluten Free Podcast Episode 208 My guest on today’s episode is the CEO of NSW Food Authority, Andrew Davies. We’ll talk about the current regulations and laws cafes and restaurants must follow for the service of gluten free food, the training these establishments receive for serving people with coeliac disease and how we can improve coeliac disease awareness and education within the Australian hospitality industry. What we’ll cover: * Andrew's role as CEO of the NSW Food Authority * The role of NSW Food Authority’s responsibility within the hospitality industry by controlling the process of ‘product to plate’ * The current regulations NSW cafes and restaurants must follow when serving people with coeliac disease * What happens if a business labels something as ‘gluten free’    * Food handling training hospitality staff receive in terms of serving people with coeliac disease and other allergens within Australia * Food safety supervisor and accredited training by the Food Authority* NSW Food Authority working with local councils for allergen handling in hospitality * Lack of understanding of cross contamination in hospitality * NSW Food Authority working to educate and make food services aware around the service of food with allergens  * Use of alternative claims other than ‘gluten free’ such as ‘gluten-friendly’, ‘low-gluten’, coeliac-friendly, etc* Communication between front of house staff, kitchen staff, management and consumers* When and how to lodge a complaint about gluten free statements in cafes and restaurants or to report negligent behaviour in around gluten free protocols or claims  * How we improve knowledge for coeliac disease and gluten free consumers within the hospitality industry * How to give feedback to NSW Food Authorities * How to contact Andrew and his team Links https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/Food Act 2003 - Preventing Misleading Information Around FoodsFood Standards CodeThe presence of gluten in ‘gluten free’ food study, 2011Report a food safety complaint Join A Gluten Free Podcast Facebook Group 📬 Stay connected: Instagram: @a.gffamilyEmail: [email protected] podcast reflects personal experiences and is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual guidance. Celiac Cruise - a 100% gluten free vacation cruise is setting sail on two Australian cruises in 2026: one to the South Pacific and the other to New Zealand. There'll of course be awesome 100% gluten free food onboard, heaps of fun stuff to do, educational talks and a community of people who understand each other. Buy your tickets here & see ya onboard gluten free fam!