Woman calls out ‘lazy’ staff at Byron Bay restaurant over near-death experience
A Byron Bay woman has slammed a local restaurant after she nearly died from a severe nut reaction.
Jaicey Revelle said she had a severe reaction to a dip served at a local restaurant that resulted in a trip to the hospital. In a Facebook post, she said she had asked the waitress if the dip had nuts in it because she had a severe allergy to them and was assured “not once but twice” the meal was safe for her to eat.
But when she took the first taste her mouth and throat began to flare up. She was then informed by another member of staff that the dip was made from cashew nuts.
“This was not obviously not communicated with me to begin with, nor was it listed in the menu, so when I was told this I explained to him that I am deathly allergic to cashews and had to go to the hospital immediately,” she said in the post.
“I was struggling to breathe and could physically feel my throat closing, and administered it [Epipen] on the way to the hospital where I was admitted into the emergency room and treated for a severe anaphylactic reaction.
“I was given steroids and antihistamines, but an hour later, I had to call for nurses again as my entire body felt like an ant hill had been emptied onto my body and lit on fire.
“This was a second reaction to the cashews still being in my system, and it was then that my face, specifically my eye and nose area, swelled up until my eyes were slits in my face and a rash and hives broke out on my body.”
After being discharged the following morning, it took the 22-year-old woman a few days to return to the restaurant to inform the waitress who served her of her ordeal.
“To my dismay, all she responded with was an introduction to who she was, a simple ‘I’m sorry’ and an offer for a free drink next time I plan to have dinner there,” she said.
“I was quite offended that she thought having a near-death experience due to her incompetency was valued to a free drink, so I requested to speak to the manager.”
Revelle said the owner’s response was even more disappointing.
“He was more upset that his staff had offered a free drink than the trouble she had caused,” she said.
“He then went on to say that he wouldn’t be giving me cash or dinner vouchers as compensation.
“When I suggested that he edit his menu to list that the dip was made with cashews as well, he responded that he can’t just list all the ingredients in a dish for everything as it doesn’t matter. I then said I agree, you can’t list all the flavours and spices and whatnot that’s in it, but you should be advertising the main ingredients especially if they’re common allergens to which he replied there are many common allergens and if people have allergies, they shouldn’t eat at his restaurant or anywhere out as it’s high risk.”
Sheridan Randall, 22nd October 2019
