Gluten-Free Dining Platform Empowers Coeliacs Worldwide
A new platform aims to make dining out easier for people with coeliac disease. Lucinda Kittel created Elios Table, Australia’s first dedicated gluten-free dining guide, after facing challenges while traveling and eating out post-diagnosis. Her frustration stemmed from numerous instances of being assured meals were gluten-free only to discover they weren’t, highlighting the urgent need for a reliable solution.
Kittel, diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2018, found that dining out became a source of anxiety and required extensive planning. She wanted to create a solution that would not only help her but also the millions of other coeliacs facing similar challenges. Her extensive travel experiences, both before and after her diagnosis, showed the stark difference in dining spontaneity and the added stress of explaining dietary restrictions in foreign languages.
A Personal Solution to a Universal Problem
Elios Table is a full platform that brings together venue discovery, community experiences, menu translation, and practical dining tools. One of its key features is the multilingual Chef Card, which helps users communicate their dietary requirements to restaurant staff, even in foreign languages. This card was born out of Kittel’s personal struggles to convey the seriousness of coeliac disease while traveling, and it has since become a vital tool for users worldwide.
The platform also has a strong community focus, allowing users to share reviews and experiences. This aspect is particularly valuable, as it enables people to learn from others who understand the challenges of coeliac disease firsthand. The blog further enriches this community by offering advice, stories, and insights that go beyond mere venue listings.
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From Marketing to Software Development
Despite her marketing background, Kittel successfully developed Elios Table using AI-assisted development and low-code technology. She began experimenting with tools like Base44, which allowed her to turn ideas into working features without a traditional development team. This approach required countless evenings and weekends of self-learning, testing, and refining, all while working full-time and self-funding the project.
She launched the platform in Brisbane in 2026, initially focusing on gluten-free dining options in Australia. The platform quickly gained international traction, with venues and gluten-free communities from around the world contributing information. This expansion highlights the universal nature of the challenges faced by people with coeliac disease, regardless of their location. Kittel’s ability to identify and address these global needs has been a key driver of Elios Table’s success.
Community-Driven Growth and Future Plans
Kittel’s marketing expertise has been instrumental in shaping Elios Table’s growth. By understanding the needs of her target audience, she has been able to develop features that genuinely help people. The platform’s community-driven approach has led to the introduction of tools like the Chef Card and menu translation services, each stemming from real-life pain points experienced by coeliacs.
