Downtown Raleigh restaurants step up sanitation protocols ahead of Restaurant Week

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The uptick of the foodborne illness cyclosporiasis comes as many restaurants in downtown Raleigh get ready for Restaurant Week.

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The celebration begins July 16 and lasts until July 26.

“The food is only as good as the company you share it with,” said Adam Masters, chef at Irregardless.

Masters has been the chef at the long-standing Raleigh cafe for three months. and going into Restaurant Week he is looking forward to bringing unique dishes to the table.

“We started this new small plates menu for dinner, and a lot of those options are going to be showcased for Restaurant Week,” Masters said.

What Masters doesn’t like is the side dish of nervousness that’s worrying a lot of diners, as cases of cyclosporiasis are on the rise in Wake County.

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“Nobody wants that. It’s all over the news. Everybody is concerned and we are too,” Masters said.

So, restaurants are stepping up their sanitation protocols.

“We are making sure we wash all of our produce thoroughly, and any of those items that are flagged are getting cooked,” Masters said.

More than 50 restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week this year.

“Restaurant Week, I think, is like a way for the industry to give back to all the things people do for us,” said Courtney McGlone, front of house manager at Big Easy.

To the Big Easy, it’s a thank you to loyal customers and a way to get new ones.

“Get something to eat for a quick bite, and also for not too crazy of a price,” McGlone said.

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