Eat Italy owner ‘grateful’ after gas explosion

FROM PAGE 1 back behind the hob for saving his chef from worse injuries as he was standing in front of it to flick the gas switch and it stayed attached to the wall, stopping gib from hitting him.

The chef and assistant chef were both blown by the blast and a waitress cleaning the restaurant was hit by gib flying across the room. Cherif says the blast left the chef with a sore chest and everyone in shock of what had happened and what could have happened.

At the time, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the explosion could have been a lot worse if the gas had built up more and spread further.

Cherif says the restaurant’s opening had gone so well and it had been “busy and successful and exciting”, until the explosion.

“People were loving the food and the atmosphere and having something new. I like the family environment and it was working like that.

“But we will be back stronger for sure. We feel the community is behind us and we are very grateful for the support.”

He hopes the restaurant will be reopened in a couple of weeks. Most of the wall will have to be removed for rewiring and then have gib replaced and repainted. Some kitchen equipment needs to be replaced as well including a fridge and the hob.

The restaurant is insured and Cherif says the six full-time staff will continue to be paid while the work is being carried out.

“I wasn’t worried about the building because it is insured. We were very lucky.” As he says: “It is what it is. You can’t do much about it.”

He is now looking forward to reopening the restaurant and seeing custom-