The owner of , which was recently voted by Patch readers as New Canaan's "," said his Main Street restaurant will be closed until at least Tuesday as he waits for the town's and Departments to inspect a new hot water heater that was recently installed.
According to who also serves as executive chef, an official from the health department came to the restaurant last Tuesday after receiving an "anonymous call" about an inoperable 100-gallon hot water heater near the kitchen.
Minella showed Patch the text from the person he believed was responsible for the complaint against his restaurant. "Expect Briggs [Geddis] there in the morning to shut u down," the text stated.
Minella said that , the town's Director of Environmental Health, showed up at the restaurant the next day and told him to "put a sign up saying the restaurant is closed for maintenance. Fix the hot water heater or I'll shut you down."
Geddis is on vacation and could not be reached for comment. Carol McDonald, director of Health and Human Services, issued a "no comment" when asked by Patch if Tuscan had been shut down by the health department.
"You'll have to ask the owner," she said.
Minella installed a temporary electric, 80-gallon hot water heater on Tuesday and said he thought that would be sufficient for the health department to re-open the restaurant.
"With St. Patrick's Day and the NCAA Tournament this weekend, there will be a lot of revenue lost, especially for my employees. I felt [the Health Department was] leading us on. We put in a temporary hot water heater and I thought it would meet specifications," Minella said.
Chief Building Official Brian Platz said the building department is scheduled to inspect the hot water heater at Tuscan next Tuesday. According to McDonald, the Health Department cannot conduct its inspection of the restaurant until after the building department finishes its inspection.
Minella said the hot water heater broke down on "March 2 or March 3" and was repaired by a plumber the following day. When asked if the restaurant had been without hot water since early March, Minella said that wasn't the case.
"I would never put my customers at risk," he said. "I've been in this business for 18 years and wouldn't put my reputation in jeopardy like that."
