Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Chef Heston Blumenthal denied responsibility for the infection that caused 529 customers to report falling sick at the Fat Duck in January and February and is inviting them back for a free meal.

Lawyers for some of the diners are seeking damages over the outbreak of norovirus, the Daily Mail reported on Sept. 18. The Health Protection Agency -- in a report published on Sept. 10 -- traced the outbreak to contaminated oysters and razor clams.

“I am relieved to be able to finally offer my fullest apologies to all those who were affected by the outbreak at the Fat Duck,” Blumenthal said today in an e-mailed statement. “It was extremely frustrating to not be allowed to personally apologize to my guests until now,” he said. “I wish to invite them all to return to the Fat Duck at their convenience.”

The oysters came from Colchester, in Essex, where the borough council had been informed at the time of three other outbreaks of norovirus linked to the same supplier, the health authority said in the report. (It didn’t identify the supplier.) Blumenthal’s spokeswoman said the restaurant couldn’t be blamed.

“The report makes it very clear that the cause of the infection was the contamination of oysters that we obtained in good faith from a reputable supplier,” Monica Brown said today in a telephone interview. “Our insurers will continue to investigate the situation and will be looking to our supplier and the local authority. Heston said from the start it was his intention to invite anyone affected back to the restaurant.”

Report’s Criticism

The report didn’t absolve the restaurant, questioning the way food was handled and referring in particular to the gap between the first sickness on Jan. 6 and Blumenthal’s decision to temporarily close the Fat Duck on Feb. 22.

“Several weaknesses in procedures at the restaurant may have contributed to ongoing transmission,” the Health Protection Agency said. “These included a delayed response to the incident, staff working when they should have been off sick, and the wrong environmental cleaning products being used. Delays in notification of illness among diners may have affected the ability of the investigation to identify the exact reason for the norovirus contamination.”

Colchester Oyster Fishery Ltd., which supplied the Fat Duck, wouldn’t comment on whether it would accept any liability.

“As far as we’re concerned, it was a regrettable incident, one that could have been rectified much quicker,” Finance Manager Jo Humm said in a telephone interview.

Speed of Reaction

“Having read the report, it indicates that the Fat Duck perhaps should have brought the outbreak to everyone’s attention much quicker than they did,” she said. “They’re pointing the finger at others but the report doesn’t exonerate them.”

The Fat Duck challenged some of the report’s findings.

“Both our experts and AXA Insurance’s are unhappy with the suggestion that our systems contributed to the spread of the problem and will continue to resist such allegations,” Brown said.

The restaurant in the village of Bray, west of London, reopened on March 12 after working with the agency and officials from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to uncover the cause of the sickness. Blumenthal said in an interview in February that a virus had been doing the rounds in the area and that he initially doubted the problem was specific to the Fat Duck because he was so fastidious about hygiene.

Listening to Seafood

The Fat Duck, which has held three Michelin stars since 2004, was named the top eatery in the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards in 2005. Blumenthal is known for experimental dishes such as Jelly of Quail, Cream of Crayfish; and Sound of the Sea, where diners listen to the sound of lapping waves through headphones while consuming seafood.

Blumenthal was in France for the Omnivore Food Festival in Deauville when he took the decision to close on Feb. 24.

“It’s really upsetting,” he said at the time. “You know how much time, energy, effort and emotion goes into doing what we do, and I don’t want anyone to leave the Fat Duck with even a headache because food is my life.”

Dr. Graham Bickler, regional director of the health agency said the risks of raw shellfish were well known.

“Individuals infected with norovirus can readily transfer the virus onto foods they prepare,” he said in a statement earlier this month. “The virus will remain viable and capable of causing illness in those foods that are not subsequently cooked. The more intensively that food is handled, the more likely it is to become contaminated by infected food handlers.”

The 13-course tasting menu at the Fat Duck costs 130 pounds ($216). Matching wines are available at 90 pounds, 185 pounds and 285 pounds per person. It’s normal to wait two months for a table and even then these are difficult to secure.

If all 529 diners want to go back, it’s going to be harder.

(Richard Vines is chief food critic for Bloomberg News. Opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer on the story: Richard Vines in London at rvines@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 25, 2009 09:14 EDT