Dish Allergen Verification Worksheet
A one-line-per-dish worksheet for recording what each menu item contains, where cross-contact can happen, which supplier items must be confirmed, and where the dish is published.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
This worksheet is the working document behind an allergen matrix. Each row is one dish as it is named on the menu. The columns force two separate answers that operators often blur together: what the recipe actually contains, and where the dish can pick up an allergen through shared equipment or handling. Keeping those apart is what lets a server give a guest an honest answer instead of a vague one. The cross-contact column is the one most often left blank, and the article at /blog/cross-contamination-staff/ explains what to look for on the line.
The example rows below are illustrative only. Replace them with your own dishes, your own findings, and the initials of whoever verified each line. The last column matters more than it looks: when a dish is published in print, on a QR menu, on the website, and on a delivery platform, every one of those has to be updated when the row changes, and the Menu Reprint Cost Calculator at /tools/menu-reprint-cost/ shows what that costs when the outputs are paper.
| Dish (exact menu name) | Contains (federal nine and extras) | Cross-contact risk | Supplier items to confirm | Last verified (date, initials) | Published in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caesar salad | Milk, eggs, fish (anchovy), wheat (croutons) | Croutons cut on the shared bread board | Dressing base, croutons, grated cheese | Your date and initials | Print, QR, website |
| Grilled chicken sandwich | Wheat, eggs (aioli), milk (bun) | Same grill as the shrimp skewers | Bun, aioli, marinade | Your date and initials | Print, QR, delivery |
| Pad thai | Peanuts, eggs, fish (sauce), soy, crustacean shellfish | Shared wok and peanut garnish station | Rice noodles, fish sauce, tamarind paste | Your date and initials | Print, QR, website, delivery |
| French fries | None on the recipe card | Fried in oil shared with breaded items (wheat, milk) | Fry oil, seasoning blend | Your date and initials | Print, QR, delivery |
| Chocolate torte | Milk, eggs, tree nuts (almond flour) | Nut flour stored above the shared dry bin | Chocolate, almond flour, butter | Your date and initials | Print, QR |
| House vinaigrette | Mustard (not federal, guests ask) | None identified | Mustard, vinegar, oil | Your date and initials | Matrix only, used in three dishes |
| Miso soup | Soy, fish (dashi) | Ladle shared with the clam chowder | Miso paste, dashi base, tofu | Your date and initials | Print, QR, website |
| Weekend special | Your allergens | Your risk notes | Your items | Your date and initials | Your channels |
| Your dish | Your allergens | Your risk notes | Your items | Your date and initials | Your channels |
https://menuaegis.com/templates/dish-allergen-verification-worksheet/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from MenuAegis
- Allergen Matrix Audit Checklist: A step-by-step checklist for auditing every dish's allergen and nutrition information against current recipes, supplier specs, kitchen practice, and every place the menu is published.
- Free calculators