HomeAttorneysClient ReviewsArticlesIn The NewsPast ResultsContact

Celeb Chef Hit With $1.3M Fine For Serving Metal Wire In Dinner

Celeb Chef Hit With $1.3M Fine For Serving Metal Wire In Dinner
Written by
Abraham Jaros
|
Updated on Friday, Sep 1, 2023

By Julia Marsh | October 27, 2016 | New York Post

Restaurateur Daniel Boulud must have chocked on his Bordeaux when he heard this news.

A Manhattan jury hit the famed chef’s Midtown restaurant, db Bistro Moderne, with a $1.3 Million slap for serving a diner a piece of wire brush in a $32 plate of coq au vin.

The five-woman, three-man federal court jury awarded $300,000 to retired lawyer Barry Brett Thursday for injuries to his esophagus, then heaped on another $1 Million as a warning to the restaurant and other eateries against using cheap metal brushes to clean dishes.

“In speaking with the jurors afterwards, they were shocked that one of the most famous chefs in the world had no oversight, no polices, no procedures, no nothing which would have prevented this incident from occurring," said Brett’s attorney Elizabeth Eilender.

“When this jury awarded $1 Million in punitive damages they wanted to send a clear message not only to the Daniel Boulud organization … but also to the entire restaurant industry that it is unacceptable to use wire brushes anywhere near food."

The French-born chef runs restaurants across the globe including his Michelin-starred namesake Daniel on E. 65th Street.

Brett was dining at the midtown restaurant in February 2015 when he swallowed the one-inch bristle. He nearly died from a resulting infection, Eilender said.

During the four-day trial Eilender presented a version of the Chinese-made wire brush to the jurors. It was purchased for $3 at a local hardware store, even though the Centers for Disease Control had issued a warning in 2012 about using the brushes in commercial kitchens.

“There are no regulations about using a brush on a grill where chicken isn’t even prepared," the restaurant’s lawyer P.J. Bottarri said in his opening remarks.

Bottari said db Bistro Moderne’s executive chef Kendall Linhart was “shocked" by the award.

“This case is far from over," Bottari vowed, adding that he will appeal the verdict.

Read Full Article on NYPost.com

Get the advice and guidance you and your family need

You do not have to go through this alone.

At Jaroslawicz & Jaros, we have over 40 years of experience helping accident victims in New York recover compensation. The clients we represent benefit from the personal attention of our knowledgeable and experienced attorneys.

We Have Recovered Over $2 Billion for Our Clients.

The attorneys at Jaroslawicz & Jaros have obtained verdicts and settlements of over $1 Million for hundreds of our individual clients. Since all New York personal injury law firms generally charge the same legal fee why not hire an experienced law firm with a proven track record?

When you retain the New York City accident lawyers at Jaroslawicz & Jaros, you will always work directly with your lawyer, and not with a paralegal or secretary. We will always be available to you! Our hundreds of positive client reviews and testimonials speak for themselves.

Experience and a track record of results

Contact the attorneys at Jaroslawicz & Jaros for a free legal consultation regarding your rights and your legal options. If we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis so that you don’t have to worry about any upfront costs.

Contact us today for a free consultation

Picture of Abraham Jaros

You can reach partner Abraham Jaros directly, either call his cell 917-842-9544, or email him at ajaros@lawjaros.com. Or call Jaroslawicz & Jaros at 212 227 2780 in New York, or toll free 800-269-2780, or submit an online questionnaire.

Get the help you deserve

Contact us today and start your free consultation. You can also text or call Abraham Jaros directly at 917.842.9544 or email him at ajaros@lawjaros.com.

Send
Background picture of a courtroom

Helpful Videos

Awards & Recognitions

Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image
Badge Image