Food

Dear Sir/Madam I am writing to you regarding your visit to my restaurant, The Fat Duck earlier this year. I am so sorry that I have not been able to write before. I have wanted to contact you personally for many months, ever since the problem first emerged. But I was advised by the official bodies carrying out the investigation, our lawyers and insurers that I could not do so until both the factual and legal situation had been established. We all thought that the HPA report would come in months ago, but it was held up by the swine flu outbreak. Now that the report has finally been released I can at last apologise personally. I am so very sorry that you or any of your guests had a bad experience in any way in my restaurant, The Fat Duck. I have spent my entire adult life trying to create a dining experience that would delight and entertain my guests and my whole team are focused on this one aim. It was deeply upsetting to all of us that your enjoyment of The Fat Duck was not as we had … [Read more...] about Heston Blumenthal’s apology to Fat Duck food poisoning victims

A food poisoning outbreak that made more than 500 diners at Heston Blumenthal's flagship restaurant sick was probably caused by raw shellfish contaminated with human sewage, according to an official report that is likely to severely damage the reputation of the award-winning chef. Inspectors from the Health Protection Agency were called in after diners including TV sports commentator Jim Rosenthal and boxing promoter Frank Warren suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting after visiting the Fat Duck, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berkshire, in January and February. Their findings, released today, established that diners were infected by the norovirus bug, which had spread throughout the country at the time. It is thought to have been brought into the restaurant through contaminated shellfish, and inspectors criticised food safety standards in the kitchens. HPA experts concluded that the outbreak continued to affect diners for six weeks because sick staff continued to turn up to work and … [Read more...] about Fat Duck food poisoning caused by shellfish contaminated with sewage, report suggests

Back in February, Heston Blumenthal's restaurant The Fat Duck, closed voluntarily after receiving complaints from customers who'd experienced symptoms of food poisoning after a meal. Some 18 days later, after a flurry of national media coverage, and a dramatic rise in the number of reported cases of illness, the restaurant reopened. Key dates The Fat Duck has been open since 1994 and is subject to food safety inspection by officers from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Unitary Authority as required by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The last inspection before the outbreak had been undertaken in September 2007. The restaurant was due its next routine inspection in March 2009 6 January: Beginning of outbreak as later defined by Health Protection Agency (HPA) report. 9 January: Date of meal eaten by first customer to report illness to Fat Duck. 12-13 February: Restaurant calls in private environmental health consultants Food Alert to assess situation after increase in … [Read more...] about Timeline: Fat Duck food poisoning outbreak

He is often described as a 'culinary alchemist' and tonight the owner of the Michelin starred Fat Duck restaurant was desperately seeking a panacea after a food poisoning scare closed his dining room. Heston Blumenthal has shut the award-winning eatery - described in 2005 as the "the best place to eat on earth" - after up to 40 diners called in to say they were feeling unwell. Around 400 customers have had their bookings cancelled as council environmental health officers and the TV chef's own safety experts conduct tests. The source of the problem however remains a mystery. Suspicion fell first on the clams and oysters and the kitchen's supplies were hastily sent off for tests. When those results proved negative seating plans were analysed to establish whether particular chefs or waiting staff may have been responsible. Then all 70 staff - including 40 chefs - were sent away to give stool samples, Blumenthal revealed. "It's really frustrating - we still don't know what the cause is," … [Read more...] about Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck shut over food poisoning scare

Heston Blumenthal, the world-renowned chef, has spoken about the severe criticism of his restaurant, the Fat Duck, following a bout of food poisoning – and invited all those taken ill back for a free meal. More than 500 people were taken ill after dining at the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, in January and February. Earlier this month the Health Protection Agency reported that an outbreak of the norovirus was to blame and highlighted oysters as the probable cause. Blumenthal did not comment on the findings of a 45-page report, which also claimed it had found evidence of poor practice at the restaurant. Today Blumenthal said: "I am relieved to be able to finally offer my fullest apologies to all those who were affected by the outbreak at the Fat Duck. It was extremely frustrating to not be allowed to personally apologise to my guests until now. "It was devastating to me and my whole team, as it was to many of our guests and I wish to invite them all to return to the Fat Duck at … [Read more...] about Heston Blumenthal says sorry for food poisonings at the Fat Duck

A 70-year-old Thai street food seller who makes wok-fired dishes has been awarded a Michelin star at the launch of Bangkok’s first guide. Jay Fai, or Auntie Fai, is known for her scorching portions of noodles with prawns and crab, cooked over charcoal fires. The eccentric chef wears ski goggles to protect her eyes from the hot oil sloshing around giant woks in her tiny shophouse. “I was excited from the very first step I made in here,” said Jay Fai as she accepted the award on Wednesday at the five-star Grand Hyatt hotel, dressed in a white chef’s outfit. Her restaurant, an open kitchen with tiled walls and metal stools that spill out into the street, also sells rich, yellow crab curries. Open daily in the old part of the Thai capital, the restaurant was one of 17 awarded stars, decided by Michelin after months of secret inspections. The other awardees consisted mainly of French haute cuisine restaurants, such as Le Normandie, where a jacket is “compulsory … [Read more...] about ‘Queen of Thai street food’ wins Michelin star in Bangkok guide