Close Connections: Aimee Vivian - "I’ve found somebody who truly understands"

“As someone who was gluten-intolerant, I knew I had to change my lifestyle and go gluten free. I went to the supermarket with my mum and bought enough gluten-free food to fill a kitchen cupboard.

I didn’t cook much then, so Mum made gluten-free versions of my favourite meals, like carbonara or lasagne, and even chicken and chips. It was daunting, but I realised I had to get organised around my meals and not be embarrassed to ask questions eating out.”

Aimee began cooking more, starting with gluten-free pasta recipes, as she found her feet in the kitchen. “I soon learned I could still have a Sunday fry-up with bacon, eggs and gluten-free sausages and bread. I slowly became confident in what I could eat.”

Luckily for Aimee, being on air proved to be a balm in more ways than one. “As soon as I went into that studio, it was like an off switch between my brain and gut,” she says.

Then, in early 2021, while making her lunch on shift, Capital Dance DJ Charlie Powell, 28, came into the kitchen. “She spotted some of my gluten-free foods and we got talking. It turns out, she’s a coeliac sufferer, too. It was a relief to find someone at work who fully understood my disease.” The pair soon grew close.

“Our jobs are quite social, and whenever we had a work event, we were the ones who couldn’t eat. Having a friend there facing the same restrictions as me was a comfort. We teamed up at work parties to order in gluten-free food from restaurants, and looked out for each other at the pub. It was a subconscious thing, checking the menus and sharing with each other what could work for both of us. We did it without even realising.”

The pair’s gluten-free journey stretched into meals out together in new restaurants, and beyond London too, with the pair often working together at music festivals around the country. “I’d take gluten-free snacks in my bag and pack extra for Charlie, just in case, or we’d find each other and swap tips about which food vans were gluten free.”

Even with the support of her family and Charlie, the illness does feel restrictive at times. Aimee says, “It can be frustrating when people are off trying all sorts of amazing things at food markets, or checking out exciting new restaurants in town without worry. Still, I’m lucky to have Charlie in my life. Whenever either of us find new places to eat with great gluten-free options, we text each other and share it. It makes my world feel that bit bigger.”

Now, Aimee, who lives in Milton Keynes with her fiancé Steve, happily makes her own lunch and packs snacks for her radio shifts. “I usually fast from the evening to mid-morning, then have a dairy-free probiotic and cereal bar. Then for lunch, I have a gluten-free wrap with halloumi, peppers and spinach, plus strawberries and grapes for snacks.” Charlie and Aimee often swap tips for coeliac-friendly food products on the market, too. She says, “Sharing gluten-free ideas has become a type of shorthand for us.

“Things have improved massively in recent years in terms of options for those who are gluten-intolerant, but there’s still a lack of awareness overall, not to mention the financial penalty for gluten-free foods. Regular fusilli pasta costs 85p in the supermarket, but gluten-free versions are £2. It can feel like a punishment.”

Even after doing all the right things, this chronic illness can flare up without warning. Aimee says, “The other week, I felt so gross, bloated, and sore. I knew Charlie was working, so I went up to her floor while my songs were playing and simply said, ‘I feel so rubbish.’ She gave me a cuddle and said, ‘I get it.’ I work with a lot of men and don’t want to be telling them my tummy hurts. Having a friend like Charlie is supportive in the most vital way. It’s daunting to have to be gluten-free for life, but you have to get on with it. You adapt, you survive, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have people around who will help you through it.”

Make Aimee's gluten-free salmon pasta.

This feature originally appeared in Good Food Magazine, January 2023.