Nov 2, 2019 Restaurants
The SkyCity-owned Metro Top 50 Restaurant is closed for three days following suspected food poisoning incidents in October.
Not long after a fire likely started by an errant blow-torch in their not-yet-finished Convention Centre shut down half of Auckland’s CBD, SkyCity has temporarily shut the doors of its Italian restaurant Gusto at the Grand after a “small number of diners” reported they had become ill from suspected food poisoning after eating at the venue in October.
A SkyCity spokeswoman has confirmed the company conducted testing for contamination following an isolated incident in mid-October, which came back negative. However further reports from customers that they became ill after dining at Gusto or from The Grand room service between October 11 to 22 has seen the four-time Metro Top 50 restaurant voluntarily close its doors on Thursday to investigate further.
Hospitality general manager Callum Mallett told Metro the company is undertaking comprehensive precautions to identify the possible cause. Gusto’s ingredient supplies, surfaces and equipment have been thoroughly tested by external providers, and staff have been asked to undergo swab testing. “We are taking the additional step of testing as a precaution. No staff have presented with symptoms to date,” Mallett said.
He added there had been no recent reports of illness from customers and that the incident was not related to the fire at the Convention Centre. “In preparing to reopen Gusto following the fire evacuation last week, a thorough cleaning of the venue has been undertaken and new food supplies have been ordered.”
Gusto will reopen for breakfast on Sunday November 3, provided the test results come back negative before then.
In the meantime, room service is still available to the guests of the adjoining hotel, The Grand, with food being prepared in a separate kitchen in the main SkyCity site. Breakfast is being served at The Grill and Fortuna restaurants.
If you dined at Gusto at the Grand between the 11th and 22nd of October and fell ill afterward, email us and let us know: ablackwood@bauermedia.co.nz.
