Chinese Restaurant Accused Of Serving Human Feet, Italian Officials Investigate After Waiter Posts Gruesome Image Online

A Chinese restaurant located in Padua, Italy is under investigation for allegedly serving human feet to its customers. The rare delicacy was discovered after a waiter posted images of two decomposing feet online. The image appeared to show a pair of severed human feet in a blue bowl, causing complaints to be called in to Italian authorities, resulting in a full investigation.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, a guest from Slovenia entered the Chinese restaurant with some friends and ordered the Chinese delicacy of bear paws. The waiter was curious about the dish and chose to see if they were really bear paws or if the name referred to something else. The waiter was horrified when he found what appeared to be a pair of decomposing human feet inside of a blue bowl.

The waiter was shocked and decided to take a picture so others would believe him. He chose to share the photo on social media, hoping others would verify that the strange meat was in fact human feet.

The waiter later revealed that the bear paw dish was served to the Slovenian guest and his friends.

It is unknown whether the Slovenians were aware of the true nature of the delicacy they consumed.

An Italian customer of the restaurant saw the image on social media and promptly contacted the authorities, according to Metro.

It wasn’t long before Italian police and food standards officials converged onto the Chinese restaurant and began their investigation.

Within the food stockpiles, 55 pounds of frozen fish and unidentified meat were confiscated as they were deemed questionable by the inspectors. Further testing is underway on the items of questionable origin.

In addition to the unidentified meats, authorities discovered horrific conditions in the restaurant’s kitchen and storage areas. Dirt and grease was caked on various surfaces, including the refrigerators, the floors, the cooking surfaces, and other areas as well. In addition to the unhealthy prep areas, outdated packages of frogs legs and crab meat were discovered.

Waiter claims Chinese restaurant served HUMAN FEET to diners https://t.co/J5grhOwVzy

— vivaden (@vivaden3) January 14, 2017

An individual from Australia, Henry WH Wong, claimed that the bear paws were brought into the restaurant from Slovenia and cooked upon request. He also claims the feet were consumed prior to the arrival of authorities. However, he claims that the paws were in fact bear paws, although the species and origin are unknown.

“There is no way to determine its origin or the kind of bear. It is not illegal to eat bear paw in Italy if the bears are from legally hunted in countries like Sweden and Slovenia.”

Despite Mr. Wong’s conclusion on the story, Italian authorities state otherwise. A forensic pathologist was approached and asked to review the image that showed the feet in the blue bowl. The pathologist determined that the feet did indeed appear to be human. Although further testing was not possible, due to a lack of evidence, the conditions inside the restaurant were enough to continue the investigation.

It is unknown what the origins of the mystery meats that were found in the Chinese restaurant might be. Results from that investigation have not yet been revealed. In addition, it is unclear whether the restaurant remains open today. However, if they do remain open, it is clear that Italian authorities are keeping an eye on the business and ensuring they clean up their act.

Whether the delicacy was in fact a pair of bear claws or human feet, the decomposing nature of the meal has caused many to question the safety of the food they eat when dining out.

What is the strangest food item you have ever consumed? What is the worst dining experience you’ve encountered in a restaurant? Share your stories below in the comments section.

[Featured Image by Howard Klaaste/Shutterstock]