The host
Janelle
Pitterson
A French-trained chef with food allergies, bringing both a culinary and a personal perspective to every table she sits at.
Two perspectives, one table.
I trained in the French tradition — the discipline, the technique, the reverence for ingredient and season. And then I learned to cook and eat within the limits of my own food allergies. Those two educations rarely talk to each other, and that gap is exactly where Can We Eat Here? lives.
I'm not here to audit restaurants or hand out verdicts. I'm here to notice the things that matter when the stakes are personal: the server who pauses to check an ingredient, the chef who rebuilds a dish without making you feel like a problem, the small choices that turn a careful evening into a joyful one.
Each experience reflects my needs and what we learned during the visit. It isn't a guarantee that a restaurant is safe for every allergy — but it is an invitation to ask better questions, and to celebrate the people who answer them with care.
"Good hospitality isn't about removing every risk. It's about making sure no one has to guess."
How each visit works
Before the visit
I share my needs in advance and pay attention to how the restaurant responds — the first signal of how the evening will feel.
At the table
I talk with the staff who'll shape the meal, ask about ingredients and cross-contact, and notice where care shows up.
Afterward
I share what I learned — what helped, what to ask, and what made the experience feel welcoming. One visit, honestly told.
Run a restaurant that cares?
If your team takes food allergies seriously, we'd love to hear about it. Apply to be featured on the show.