Hereford House, the iconic Kansas City-area steakhouse, says it will close its Leawood restaurant amid “financial strains” created by fallout from an ex-kitchen worker’s alleged food contamination.
In a statement emailed Thursday morning through its marketing firm, the company said its last day in business at Leawood’s Town Center would be this coming Saturday, Aug. 3.
“While this is heartbreaking for us, we have been blessed to be a part of the Leawood community and its growth since the Hereford House Leawood opening,” the statement says.
In business in Leawood for nearly 30 years
Hereford House, which was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1957, opened its Leawood location 28 years ago and has been a hub of social and civic life in the Johnson County suburb for decades.
“We have been the site of many celebrations, family dinners, business meetings and great food over the years,” the company said in its statement Thursday. “We have also enjoyed participating in many charitable and community events serving Leawood and surrounding communities.”
“We want to take this opportunity to thank the countless number of guests and friends we have welcomed through our doors over the past 28 years,” the statement continues.
The company says its other Johnson County location in Shawnee, as well as two more in Missouri — in Independence and at Zona Rosa in the Northland — will remain open.
“Our decision to close the Hereford House Leawood is not easy, but is necessitated by the recent events which were beyond our control,” the statement ends. “Again, a heartfelt thank you to our staff who have held their heads high and persevered through public and media scrutiny and to those of you who have continued to support us.”
Hereford House faces lawsuits from alleged food contamination
The iconic restaurant is facing at least nine civil lawsuits in Johnson County District Court filed by patrons who say they became sick after eating at the restaurant this past April.
That was around the time ex-kitchen worker Jace Hanson is alleged by prosecutors to have purposefully contaminated food at the Leawood restaurant and shared videos of himself doing so online.
A previously released criminal affidavit says Hanson admitted to contaminating the food on multiple occasions in early April, with the last known act occurring on April 23. Investigators say he did so by urinating and rubbing his genitals on food before it was served.
Hanson faces more than 20 felony counts related to his alleged food contamination acts in addition to 10 charges of child exploitation for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials.
His next court appearance is slated for Sept. 24.
