A special “Thanksgiving feast” prepared by a Seattle Indian restaurant has reportedly left 35 people sick, according to King County Public Health.
Kanishka Cuisine of India, located in downtown Seattle, served a “Fusion Thanksgiving Feast” for the holiday. Beginning November 28, a day after the meal was served, dozens of customers reported gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, and body aches.
No employees reported illness, and officials have not identified a specific food item responsible. However, King County Public Health said the symptoms closely resemble illnesses caused by bacterial toxins — dangerous substances produced when food is left at unsafe temperatures.
Although the outbreak seems to have stopped, the investigation is still underway.
When inspectors visited the restaurant on December 2, they found several issues that may have contributed to the outbreak, including limited kitchen space and inadequate equipment to safely handle both regular service and the large-volume Thanksgiving feast.
They also discovered improper cooling practices and foods not kept cold enough to prevent bacterial toxin growth.
A follow-up inspection on December 4 revealed that cooling problems persisted and some refrigerated items were still being stored at room temperature.
As these violations posed a risk to public health, the department temporarily closed the restaurant until corrections were made.
During the closure, unsafe food was discarded and staff began retraining in safe food-handling procedures.
Kanishka Cuisine of India had previously held an “excellent” rating in the county’s food safety grading system.