Fat Duck chefs killed in Hong Kong car crash

CNN reports that an investigation is underway into the Hong Kong car crash that killed two chefs from Heston Blumenthal’s famous British restaurant the Fat Duck.

CNN said that newspaper reports and the Hong Kong Police Force identified the dead as Carl Magnus Lindgren, 30, from Sweden and Ivan Aranto Herrera Jorge, 34, of Britain. Their taxi driver also was killed.

Blumenthal, who was in Hong Kong, identified the bodies of the two chefs, according to the Standard.

Reports say that the two chefs were killed after a bus barreling downhill hit two cars, crossed into the other lane and crushed their taxi against another bus, resulting in the three deaths and injuring 56 people, including the driver of the other bus, a baby and a 90-year-old. A police spokesman said the driver of the first bus was arrested for dangerous driving that resulted in death and was released after posting bail.

CNN reported that the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong confirmed that the two chefs were hotel guests. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and our hearts and prayers are with their families and loved ones,” said hotel communications director Nina Colls in a statement. A menu by Blumenthal with recipes that date from the 16th century has been offered at the Mandarin Oriental in London’s Hyde Park, CNN said, and in an interview with a Hong Kong culinary magazine, Blumenthal mentioned the possibility of opening a Fat Duck at the Mandarin Oriental there.

The news of the crash has been followed by condolences via social media from chefs around the world. René Redzepi of Copenhagen restaurant Noma tweeted, “Unimaginable -- your chefs are your family. Condolences to the families, Heston & team.”

Napa’s French Laundry, owned by Thomas Keller, tweeted: “Today we have a heavy heart... Thoughts and prayers go out to the entire team of The Fat Duck & their families on this most difficult day.”

And Raymond Blanc, who owns Le Manoir aix Quat’Saisons in Oxford, England, tweeted, “My heart and my thoughts are with the families of the 2 young chefs from the Fat Duck & with Heston & the whole team at this tragic time.”

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