Diner finds creepy-crawlies in Jamie Oliver restaurant

Diners at Jamie Oliver's Norwich restaurant were shocked to discover a secret ingredient in their dining experience this week: maggot-like insects falling from the ceiling.

One diner, who prefers not to be named, says that when he first felt something wriggling on his head he assumed it was a caterpillar that had fallen there while he was walking to the restaurant.

But, he tells the Mirror, more of the creatures started dropping onto the and into the food.

"It was like spaghetti, a salad for my friend and a side order of maggots," he says. "I called over a waitress and she said 'oh, my god', then another landed whilst she was there and made her jump."

The manager apologised and waived the bill; but, says the man, "I can't be 100" sure I didn't eat one."

Apparently, a search failed to turn anything up, and the restaurant believes that the creatures were probably woodworm.

"The incident in question was dealt with immediately and is being fully investigated. At no point was the customer's food affected and there appears to be no evidence of a wider problem," says a spokesperson.

"All of our restaurants operate to a very high level of food safety and Jamie's Italian Norwich retains a 5 star Food Hygiene Rating (the highest) from the local Environmental Health Office."

It's by no means the first time one of the celebrity chef's businesses has faced problems. Last year, he was forced to close his Barbecoa butchers shop in the City of London temporarily after public health officers found mouldy meat and dirty equipment.

Around the same time, Jamie's Italian was fined for serving wheat pasta to a woman who had told three members of staff that she had a wheat allergy. She was violently sick and suffered a severe allergic reaction.

And just weeks later, the chain was ordered to pay £6,000 to an environmental charity after breaking the rules on recycling packaging.

With 51 restaurants, it's hardly surprising that the chef and food writer has had the odd problem. But having recently turned 40, he recently told the Times that he was thinking of selling up and concentrating on TV and books.

"I'm currently reviewing my life, trying to focus in. Reducing the things we're doing," he said.

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