Source : Perth Now news
A wedding reception descended into misery after more than 30 guests, including the newlywed couple, allegedly fell ill with norovirus after eating food at a trendy Brooklyn hotel.
Michael Ahern and his wife claim they suffered repeated vomiting and diarrhoea, along with chills, stomach cramps and fatigue, after their November 30, 2024 wedding at The Box House Hotel.
The couple had paid around $30,000 for the hotel to cater their big day, according to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
As reported by The Independent newspaper, Ahern says the pair became sick the following evening and were left bedridden for several days.
Stool samples from both tested positive for norovirus, while more than 30 of the 112 guests reportedly developed similar symptoms.
A subsequent New York City Department of Health investigation found that those who became ill had all eaten three particular dishes, prosciutto, macaroni-and-cheese croquettes and a “seasonal crumble” dessert.
One employee who worked at the wedding reception tested positive for norovirus, but the health department said they had not reported being ill and had not prepared any of the three dishes linked to the outbreak.
The health department concluded in September 2025 that the outbreak was “likely due to consumption of food contaminated by a norovirus-positive food handler”.
Inspectors also found several food-safety problems, including a lack of hand soap in the restaurant’s kitchen and bar area and inadequate equipment for checking food temperatures.
However, the hotel has disputed claims that the outbreak definitely originated there.
A spokesperson told The Independent: “We’re sorry that guests got sick after this wedding. It was meant to be one of the best nights of their lives and it wasn’t, and we understand why that still stings.”
They said the hotel fully cooperated with the health department and subsequently retrained staff on handwashing and illness reporting, improved food-temperature checks and disinfected its restaurant and event spaces.
The spokesperson added that the restaurant received an A rating at its next inspection and has retained it.
They also pointed out that norovirus was widespread across New York at the time and guests had eaten food from other sources during the wedding weekend.
The health department report noted that the employee who tested positive had not prepared any of the three dishes and that the specific food source responsible for transmission remained undetermined.
Ahern is seeking damages, with the amount to be decided at trial. The hotel has roughly three weeks to respond to the lawsuit.
