Review ongoing as eatery reopens

Illness among staff is still a mystery

Nearly two weeks after a mysterious illness befell kitchen employees, Burt & Max’s Bar and Grille in Delray Beach has reopened following approval from state health inspectors.

Health officials are still contacting 15 people who reported eye irritation, rashes and other symptoms to the state health department, said Tim O’Connor, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Health Palm Beach County.

A doctor specializing in the spread of infectious disease is reaching out to them for a comprehensive list of symptoms, he said. No one has reported any signs of foodborne illness or a virus, he said.

“It looks to be environmental, if anything, but that’s inconclusive at this point,” said O’Connor.

After the specialist catalogs the symptoms, the department will begin looking into the cause of the mystery illness, O’Connor said. In the meantime, Burt & Max’s reopened Friday to a packed house. The restaurant seated 480 people Friday evening and more than a thousand over the weekend, said Burt Rapoport, restaurant owner.

Still, business is down about one-third over the same period last year, he said.

“I think it will come back, I think some people don’t know we’re open yet and some people might be a little wary because of the restaurant closing,” he said.

Rapoport followed up on a number of suggestions on what might be the cause of the mystery illness, from gas and refrigeration leaks to Chinese dry wall, but has not yet identified the problem, he said.

Despite their best efforts, some kitchen staff are still feeling residual effects, Rapoport said.

“We don’t know if it’s the stuff is in their system or if we might have somehow left a stone unturned,” he said.

In a last-ditch effort, Rapoport plans to replace all of the ceiling tiles in the kitchen.

“I think we’ll get past this. You can see from the numbers we have a strong base to build from,” he said.