Celiacs please steer clear. I used to love NBC’s cakes prior to my diagnosis. I saw on their website that they do offer gluten-free baked goods, but they cannot guarantee elimination of cross contact. I wondered whether this was practical advice, or just legal air cover.
I decided to go to this location and chat with one of the bakers to learn more about the measures that are in place. The baker at this location informed me that the only measure the staff takes when preparing gluten-free cakes is that they wash all pans and utensils and sanitize all surfaces prior to preparation.
However, she *strongly* recommended that anyone with a “severe gluten allergy” avoid all their products. The bakers do not bake the gluten-free cakes on a different day or at a different time than the gluten-containing cakes. (So, imagine one baker working with gluten-free flours on one surface while a different baker works with gluten-containing flour on a different surface in the same kitchen.) There aren’t separate ovens, and the storage of gluten-containing versus gluten-free products isn’t completely segregated.
I appreciated the baker’s honesty about their approaches. Her insight reinforced to me the importance of finding and supporting quality gluten-free bakeries in the area.