43 People Fall Ill After Eating Special Thanksgiving Meal In Seattle Restaurant

India-West News Desk

SEATTLE, WA — King County Public Health is investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness linked to Kanishka Cuisine of India’s one-time “Fusion Thanksgiving Feast.”

The meals, prepared for pick-up or delivery starting November 28, 2025, were associated with 43 reported cases of diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, fatigue, headache, and body aches.

Public Health has not identified a specific food or drink from the feast as the source of illness. Officials said the pattern of illness is consistent with exposure to bacterial toxins, which can develop when food is left at unsafe temperatures for extended periods. Laboratory testing of four affected individuals returned negative results for common gastrointestinal pathogens, including norovirus, Salmonella, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Experts note that illnesses caused by bacterial toxins are often not detectable by routine lab tests.

Investigators interviewed 21 people who became sick and inspected the restaurant on December 2, identifying several food safety concerns. Inspectors cited inadequate kitchen space for handling the large-scale Thanksgiving meal, improper cooling methods, and foods left at room temperature that could allow bacterial toxins to develop.

A follow-up inspection on December 4 found that some unsafe practices persisted, prompting the temporary closure of the restaurant. Unsafe food was discarded, and staff underwent retraining in food handling. On December 10, a subsequent visit confirmed that proper safety procedures were in place, and the restaurant was allowed to reopen.

King County Public Health noted that bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens, which are naturally present in the environment, can grow quickly at room temperature and produce toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea. Large batches of cooked food left at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F are particularly susceptible.

Kanishka Cuisine of India issued a statement emphasizing that the outbreak involved only the special Thanksgiving menu, not the restaurant’s regular offerings. The restaurant said it voluntarily reported the initial complaint to Public Health, cooperated fully with inspections and testing, and took precautions including discarding all potentially unsafe food, performing a deep cleaning, and retraining staff before reopening.