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Dietary enquiry brief generator

You need to ask a kitchen about pork, lard and alcohol, and you do not share a language.

A meal beside an open notebook and pen
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Nothing is sent until you press the WhatsApp button. Only the text you see below is sent.

Use this generator to write one short dietary enquiry that a kitchen or tour operator can answer in a single reply. It combines your rule, what you avoid and what proof you would like, in a few lines.

What does a good brief contain?

Every brief covers the same five points.

  • Who and when: number of adults and children, and the dates.
  • Your rule: one line, for example “certified only” or “Muslim-owned or certified, no alcohol”.
  • What to avoid: pork, lard, gelatine, alcohol, cooking wine, mirin and shared tools.
  • What proof: the issuing body, the expiry date and whether it covers this branch.
  • What if it is not possible: ask for an alternative dish, not a promise.

What does a sample brief look like?

“Hello, we are [number] adults and [number] children visiting on [date]. Our meals are free of pork, lard and alcohol, including cooking wine and mirin. Can you tell us which dishes are free of these, and whether the kitchen holds a halal certificate? If so, which body issued it and when does it expire? Thank you.”

Adjust it to your rule. Do not add words you do not mean.

Which questions change by country?

Japan needs ingredient questions. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) warns that cooking sake and mirin appear in everyday Japanese dishes, and some miso contains alcohol unless labelled additive-free1. For vegetarian fallbacks, see dashi and hidden ingredients in Japan.

In South Korea, a venue labelled pork-free has no halal menu but does not use pork, and alcohol may be sold2. So ask about alcohol and shared grills too.

For itineraries in Japan, see preparing halal meal requests for a Japan itinerary.

What proof should I ask for?

Ask which body issued the certificate. JAKIM (Malaysia’s halal authority) publishes its list of recognised foreign bodies as a PDF at halal.gov.my/pdf/cb/FHCB21August2026.pdf3, which lets you compare the issuer against it. Photograph the certificate if the venue allows.

Better option when

If you are booking through a tour operator, use questions to ask a tour operator about halal meals instead, because the operator answers for more than one kitchen. If a venue has no certificate, label its claim using the halal claim states guide.

Next step

Send your brief to each venue, save the replies, and compare them with the meal-assurance comparison tool. More tools are in the planning tools hub.

Common questions

What should a dietary enquiry include?

State your rule in one line, name the ingredients to avoid, give the number of people and the dates, and ask what proof the venue can show. Keep it to a few lines. A kitchen can answer a short, specific message, while a long story may go unread.

Should I ask about alcohol as well as pork?

Yes. Alcohol can sit in sauces and marinades, not only in drinks. In Japan, cooking sake and mirin appear in everyday dishes, and some miso contains alcohol unless labelled additive-free. Ask whether any dish or sauce uses alcohol, mirin or cooking wine.

How do I ask for proof without sounding rude?

Phrase it as help with planning, such as asking which body certifies the kitchen and whether you may photograph the certificate. A calm, specific request is easy to answer. If they cannot show one, ask what they can tell you about the meat, sauces and supplier, and decide by your own rule.

What if the venue replies only with yes, it is halal?

Treat a bare yes as an operator-declared claim, not as a certificate. Ask a follow-up question about the issuing body, the expiry date and whether the certificate covers this branch. If they will not answer, mark the meal as unknown and plan an alternative.

Sources

  1. JNTO warns that cooking sake and mirin are used in many Japanese dishes, and some miso contains alcohol unless labelled additive-free (mu-ten-ka). JNTO (japan.travel), Muslim travelers (accessed 2026-10-19)
  2. Korea Tourism Organization's four Muslim-friendly restaurant categories include Pork-free: the restaurant has no halal menu but does not use pork, and alcohol may be sold. Korea Tourism Organization (VisitKorea), Muslim-friendly Travel (accessed 2026-10-19)
  3. JAKIM publishes the foreign halal certification body list as a PDF at halal.gov.my/pdf/cb/FHCB21August2026.pdf, linked from the Foreign Halal Certification Body section of the halal.gov.my portal. Malaysia Halal Portal (halal.gov.my) (accessed 2026-10-19)

Keep planning

Ten questions for a tour operator before payingThe brochure says halal meals included, and you want that turned into something checkable.Halal, Muslim-owned, pork-free: what each claim meansYou see a sign that says halal, and you are not sure what it is actually saying.Halal meal requests to send before a Japan tripYou need hotels and operators to understand what halal means to you, in writing.Meal-assurance comparison toolTwo offers both say halal meals included, and you cannot tell which one actually proves it.

Tell us the country, who is eating and your family's meal rule, and we will help you write one short brief you can send to each venue in the local language if needed.

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