It's the detail many artisans treat lightly until it happens: participants' allergies and intolerances. In a cooking, cosmetics or certain-materials workshop, an ignored allergen isn't a nuisance, it's a real health risk for someone — and a responsibility for you. The good news: handling it well is simple, and it's part of a professional, curated experience.
Always ask in advance, never during
Rule number one: collect allergies and intolerances at booking, not when participants are already in front of you. Discovering a peanut allergy as you're about to use peanuts is too late. Add a clear question to the registration form: 'Do you have allergies, intolerances or sensitivities we should know about?'. One line that can avoid a disaster.
Cooking and pastry: the 14 allergens
In food workshops the reference is the 14 food allergens that EU law (Regulation 1169/2011) requires to be declared: gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide/sulphites, lupin, molluscs. You must know which ingredients you use and be able to answer if someone asks. For more on food safety, the reference is the Italian Ministry of Health.
- Know your ingredients: know exactly what each preparation contains.
- Prepare alternatives when you can: a gluten-free or lactose-free version widens your audience.
- Mind cross-contamination: the same surfaces and tools can transfer allergens.
- When risk is high, be honest: better to advise against participating than to put someone at risk.
Cosmetics and soaps: skin and essential oils
In cosmetics and soap workshops the topic is skin sensitivities and essential oils: some fragrances and ingredients can irritate sensitive skin or be inadvisable in pregnancy. Ask in advance, offer neutral alternatives and do a patch test on a small area when it makes sense. We explore it in the dedicated format: safe soap workshops.
Materials: dust, latex, resins
Non-food disciplines have their allergens too: dust from some clays or woods, latex in gloves, resins, dyes, glazes. Know the materials you have people handle, provide alternatives (latex-free gloves, for example) and work in ventilated spaces. Often little is needed to make the workshop accessible even to those with specific sensitivities.
On Handsome you can collect this information right in the booking flow, so you arrive at the workshop knowing in advance who to take care of. It's part of the attention that generates enthusiastic verified reviews and customers who trust you and return.
Domande frequenti
- When should I ask participants about allergies?
- Always at booking, never when they're already in front of you. Add a clear question to the registration form ('Do you have allergies, intolerances or sensitivities we should know?'): discovering an allergy while already using that ingredient is too late.
- Which allergens should I consider in a cooking workshop?
- The 14 food allergens listed by EU law (Reg. 1169/2011): gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Know your ingredients, prepare alternatives and mind cross-contamination.
- Does handling allergens protect me legally too?
- Yes. Having asked, documented and informed about risks reduces your liability in case of problems, besides being customer care. A question in the form and an honest answer are worth far more than any justification after an incident.
Registration form with allergies and notes. 0% commission, a curated, safe experience.
Collect the right info at booking
