Quaglino's part of investigation after death of diner

Restaurant group D&D London is part of an investigation into the death of a woman who passed away after dining at its Quaglino's restaurant in St James last weekend.

Westminster Council has launched a probe into the death of a 50-year old woman, who had dined at Quaglino's on Saturday night (16 May). She became unwell along with four of the six other people in her party.

As part of the investigation, Quaglino's shut for two days this week. However, so far no link has been established between the woman's death and her meal at the restaurant.

Richard Block, operations manager for food, health and safety at Westminster Council, said: "There is nothing currently to link this death directly to the restaurant, which is cooperating fully with our investigation."

A spokesman for D&D London told Caterersearch that while the investigation was ongoing no further details could be released.

"We take this matter very seriously and are fully cooperating with Westminster Council," he said. "We voluntarily closed the restaurant on Tuesday and Wednesday to allow for the investigation to take place but were given the all clear to reopen Quaglino's yesterday."

Quaglino's was founded by Giovanni Quaglino in 1929 and re-launched by Terence Conran in 1991. It became part of the D&D London group after the rebrand of Conran Restaurants in 2006.

Earlier this year, Heston Blumenthal was forced to shut his three-Michelin-starred restaurant The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, for two weeks, after up to 40 diners were afflicted with a mystery illness resulting in vomiting and diarrhoea. Following media coverage of the outbreak, the number of potential cases leapt to 400.

Five Quaglino's staff arrested after raid >>

Quaglino's a decade on >>

D&D London outlines international push >>

The Fat Duck: Business as usual after recent food scare? >>

Heston Blumenthal gets go ahead to reopen the Fat Duck >>

By Kerstin Kuhn

E-mail your comments to Kerstin Kuhn here.

Caterersearch.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next restaurant job here with Caterersearch.com jobs