That restaurants should know parmesan isn't vegetarian?

That is probably Italian hard cheese. Parmesan is not vegetarian

I know where I work, we have a Parmesan which is vegetarian. I know this 💯 as I questioned it and chef showed me the packaging. I wonder if it's something like this they use.

Nope. Vegetarian is basically vegan + things that animals can 'give' without killing so milk eggs and honey. Although I knew a vegan who ate honey.

Does vegetarian cheese come from cows inseminated with sex selected sperm to avoid killing male calves?

It just doesn't make much sense to me to avoid rennet but eat dairy cheese that requires calves to be born. I understand veganism. I was wondering what a non animal rights based reason could be that's all.

Nope. Vegetarian is basically vegan + things that animals can 'give' without killing so milk eggs and honey. Although I knew a vegan who ate honey.

Things like beer and wine that are clarified using isinglass are not vegetarian.

So something that appears vegi and could be made that way are not, eg mushrooms cooked with wine.

Bread can also be a problem. Custard is also a problem but if you cater for vegans you should probably have a tin of Bird's in the cupboard.

Chefs / restaurants absolutely should be labeling their menu correctly or saying vegetarian / vegan options are available. Not just for vegetarians / vegans but because a lot of people eat vegi when they are away from home because at home they eat halal or kosher or they are sikh and cannot eat halal meat.

In huddersfield they are missing a trick.

And properly made mousse au chocolat doesn't contain gelatin either.

Haribo do have a vegetarian range and two vegan ones. I think 'proper' Turkish delight is made without gelatine.

Me too, for 35 years. Check everything

OP it drives me bonkers. I have seen 'vegetarian' dishes with Parmesan so many times in pubs and restaurants. No Parmesan is not vegetarian. You would think it would be something a chef would know.

I don't buy or wear leather products, but whether the OP does or doesn't is neither here nor there and nothing to do with their AIBU

OP do you wear leather shoes, trainers or jackets? Leather handbag or purse? Leather seats in your car?

True. That's not unreasonable.

But the OP and many others here are probably making a huge mistake in assuming all parmesan is AOC Parmigiano Reggiano.

The consumer could do some research and ask the kind of questions that would clear up the matter.

If it's anything other than genuine, AOC Parmigiano Reggiano, chances are high that it's not made with rennet.

Parmesan comes from a wide variety of sources. The majority of cheeses are made using non-rennet coagulants.

@SpikyCoconut The crab dish is on the main 'casual dining' menu. Labeled as vegetarian but not as shellfish! I'm confused.

One of the reasons some vegetarians are OK with Parmesan is because rennet is a by-product of the meat industry rather than a product. Like leather. It comes from the death of an animal, but the animal didn't die to produce it. A lot of people believe that if you are going to kill an animal, you should use as much of it as possible.

So it really depends on why you are vegetarian/vegan and what your ethical stance is. Not all vegetarians abstain from consuming by-products, just meat.

In saying that, I don't know how many restaurant chefs put that much thought into it. They probably just think cheese = vegetarian.

Traditional Turkish delight shouldn't have gelatine anywhere near it. It's made with cornflour! So vegetarian and vegan. I know that chocolate covered stuff has got gelatine in it, but I avoid it as it's all kinds of wrong... (Neither vegetarian nor vegan, just can't stand it.)

A recipe.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/turkish-delight

And shop bought stuff.
www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-rose-lemon-turkish-delight/899820-810132-810133

@SpikyCoconut YANBU to tell them, of course you’re not. YABU to start a post on mumsnet, including a link to the restaurant, and ask if you should tell them or not. Use common sense and just do it! It feels like you’re trying to name and shame here otherwise any not just describe the menu item rather than post a link?

I stand (somewhat) corrected. See link.
Not trying to offend, but I think it is a bit unreasonable to expect restos to cater to all types of vegetarianism. It's not unreasonable to ask if a dish can be made a certain way to suit preferences, but can't be expected to be perfect. It would probably be best to find out and arrange in advance.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/do-vegetarians-eat-cheese#vegetarian-status

There are so many typos and spelling mistakes on that website. Attention to detail is definitely not important to them!

There are 7 pages on why Parmesan is not vegetarian.

I would take it as vegetarian. It sounds like you want vegan. 🤔

You are probably thinking of protozoa. Bacteria don't generally ingest food. And unicellular algae can move about. Bacteria and fungi don't really fall in either kingdom. I am less sure about protozoa, but bacteria aren't protozoa.

Yes, still wondering about avocados and mushrooms

Frankly I find most vegan food unappealing and not that healthy. Two much salt is often used to give it flavour. Filo pastry with Mediterranean veg, caramelised onion and pesto sounds pretty good compared to some vegan dishes I’ve seen.

Definition of an animal was respiration , reproduction, movement , consumption of food ( plants don’t do the last two) . So bacteria fall more within the animal than the plant kingdom ( as do fungi).

Viruses are something else.