Hereford House to close Leawood restaurant where former worker allegedly contaminated food
Hereford House announced Thursday morning that it would shut down its Leawood restaurant, where a former employee is accused of contaminating food, after the much-publicized incident led to financial problems for the restaurant.
“As financial strains caused by recent events continue, we have made the very difficult decision to close the Hereford House Leawood,” Hereford House said in a statement released to the media.
The last day of service will be Saturday at the restaurant at 5001 Town Center Drive in Leawood’s Town Center Plaza. The restaurant has been part of the Leawood community for nearly 28 years, opening in November 1996.
“While this is heartbreaking for us, we have been blessed to be a part of the Leawood community and its growth since the Hereford House Leawood opening,” the company said.
Hereford House will work with its employees to find positions at other Hereford House restaurants in Independence, Shawnee and Zona Rosa in Kansas City’s Northland or different restaurants in the metro.
“Our decision to close the Hereford House Leawood is not easy, but is necessitated by the recent events which were beyond our control,” Hereford House said. “Again, a heartfelt thank you to our staff who have held their heads high and persevered through public and media scrutiny and to those of you who have continued to support us.”
The Johnson County District Attorney in April charged a former employee, alleging he contaminated food with bodily fluids.
In June, prosecutors filed additional charges, and 21-year-old Jace Christian Hanson of Kansas City now faces 22 counts of criminal threat for allegedly contaminating food, one count of criminal damage and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a child for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials.
Hanson allegedly posted videos online that showed a man urinating in restaurant-style food bins and rubbing food on his buttocks and genitals. According to court documents, the FBI traced the videos posted under the pseudonym “Vandalizer” to Hanson’s cellphone.
He was arrested on April 25 at the restaurant and remains in Johnson County jail on a $500,000 bond. A preliminary hearing in the case is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 24.
Hanson’s alleged admission that he contaminated food has led to 10 lawsuits filed by customers who claim they got sick after eating at the restaurant during the period Hanson worked there.
The most recent one was filed Friday in Johnson County District Court by Mathew and Blaire Lawrence of Johnson County and their two children.
The lawsuits contend Hereford House was negligent and breached an implied warranty that its food would be safe. The lawsuits also make a strict liability claim, alleging that the contaminated food was a defective product that the restaurant served to customers.
In response to several of the lawsuits, the Hereford House denied the allegations. The restaurant contends it did not know that Hanson was allegedly “secretly and criminally” contaminating the food, and once it was discovered, the restaurant terminated his employment.
The Hereford House also contends that Hanson’s alleged actions were outside his scope of employment.
