UKH

I'm due to stay in the Cosmiques Hut on the Mont Blanc Massif and I'm curious about dietary options.

I'm a pescatarian (vegetarian that eats fish) and want to understand if they will be able to cater for me or not.

Will I need to bring all my own food, or just a few top up items?

I think most if not all huts will be able to cater for vegetarian options to some degree now but it’s good to notify them in advance. I’d call or email the hut specifically and ask, there will certainly be English speaking staff at Cosmiques.

Hope you like cheese........

"It's a bit runny...."

We (also pescatarian) did a week's hut-to-hutting in the Vanoise several years ago and were fed cheese omelettes six nights in a row.

You could not have fish for that one night, then you'd be a vegetarian. They can manage that OK. 

I (vegetarian) stayed at the cosmiques this spring and hit this problem. Make sure you tell them on arrival that you don't eat meat, they won't prompt you and ask. Dinner is too late to tell them, apparently

I eat meat but not fish and where possible always inform of this when booking, and always confirm my dietry requirements on arrival. 

Totally unreasonable to wait till the meal table. Most places are happy to cater for dietry needs, but even the most well catered kitchen will appreciate a little forwarning if they need to adapt their menu or cook separately to accommodate you.

I just forgot, the Swiss huts always ask when you book.

That's as close to meat eating as a vegetarian gets: no veg, all animal. Couldn't do a baked potato?

Presumably the fact that it's a mountain refuge staffed by hut wardens, not a restaurant staffed by cooks might have a bearing on menu choice ?

Maybe not for you, but during my vegetarian periods I just used to accept that eating evening meals in alpine huts meant either eating meat or having an omelette every evening & often just had the meat dish. Remember its a hut not a hotel/restaurant.

And you never ate a cheese omelette every again......

Good to know, I'm actually planning on on acclimatizing using Aguille du Midi 2 days before I need to use the hut and thought I might pop into the hut to confirm my reservation so I can discuss the meal at the same time. 

Not an option I want to consider. It's not a problem provided I'm aware of the limitations in which case I can plan for it.

It's only two nights and I do quite like an omelette.

Fully aware, that's why I'm asking these questions. If I thought it was a hotel I would just rock up without thinking about it.

You say that now... eggs... altitude...

I dunno the Gouter seemed pretty lush when I stopped there in 2016. A choice of two mains, one meat the other fish..

My experiences eating vegetarian in (mostly Swiss) huts has been fine in the last few years. Just let them known in advance and be prepared to sometimes eat a meal which is a bit less inspired.

Special mention to Cabane des Dix and Cabane du Grand Mountet in Switzerland for serving excellent vegetarian food when I was there.

A baked potato? Chefs? Is there an easier thing to cook? Perhaps toast, though burning bread is easier than overdoing a baked potato. Restaurant ? I can't remember the last time I saw baked potato on a restaurant menu. Presumably they don't just stock eggs, cheese and raw meat. 

Maybe potatoes don't keep well in a hut, or use a disproportionate amount of fuel, or maybe a sack of spuds isn't what anyone wants to lug about up there?