I’m standing in a space the width of an airplane aisle, staring at frying oils. It’s the kitchen of the Stapleton, Colo., location of Next Door, one of the country’s most-high-profile casual restaurant companies. Until now, I’ve given very little thought to frying oils. But I’m on a quest for understanding: to get behind the scenes in a kitchen that is equally friendly to gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and various food-allergic customers as it is to everybody else.
At Next Door, eating restrictions don’t just pepper the menu, signaled through such acronyms as “GF” (gluten-friendly), “DF” (dairy-free), “V+” (vegan) and “GFO (gluten-friendly optional).