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Hestor Blumenthal, thrice Michelin starred chef, may be the world's most meticulous and inventive food scientist but it seems that even he is not immune from food-poisoning scares. A recent outbreak of illness among diners at his restaurant the Fat Duck proves this, but what it also demonstrates is how difficult it is for no win, no fee lawyers to find conclusive proof in a food poisoning-related holiday injury claim.
Despite the fact that around 400 diners have now stepped forward to report post-prandial illness, what no one is questioning is Blumenthal's commitment to food hygiene. Before the outbreak Blumenthal had a reputation for a zero-tolerance approach to food safety lapses and this has not changed.
In fact, since the mystery illnesses first start to be reported, his reputation for good food hygiene practice has probably grown.
Blumenthal needs no encouraging when it comes to demonstrating his commitment to serving uncontaminated food. "It has been awful. We have done our own food testing for the last four years," he said.
Adding, "Everything is tested from the food coming out of the ground, from the farm into the kitchen and to the customer.
"When we started getting telephone calls we took it very seriously.
"I don't want anyone leaving with a headache let alone feeling unwell.
"We've had staff tested, some customers tested and so far it is categorically not food poisoning," he added.
"We are now looking at the possibility of an airborne virus.
"This could have come from a customer, a staff member not showing symptoms or from outside the restaurant.
"A customer called me to say they came in with a table of four, three of them got ill, but then their children got ill so they are convinced it is a virus."
Although Blumenthal's comments would indicate that it is almost certain that the "Fat Duck epidemic" was not caused by food contamination, if it had been his vigilance alone would not have been enough to guard against a food tourist making a successful holiday injury claim.
Quite simply, if a diner experiences illness that is demonstrably caused by food-poisoning, in all but the most exceptional of circumstances it is possible for a good no win, no fee solicitor to present a strong case for compensation.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the field of holiday injury claims. With such litigation it is not uncommon for holidaymakers to receive four-figure sums of compensation for having their holidays ruined by substandard kitchen hygiene. It doesn't matter how "good" the food is, whether it's snail porridge, bacon and egg ice cream or a turkey twizzler, if it causes poisoning a personal injury claim will always be a possibility.
