St. Elmo Steak House reopens after 9 employees test positive for COVID-19
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – St. Elmo Steak House on Monday evening reopened after it closed over the weekend due to nine positive COVID-19 cases among its staff.
“While working closely with the Marion County Public Health Department, St. Elmo Steak House was able to safely reopen with limited capacity this evening,” said a statement from Huse Culinary.
Also Monday night, the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed that St. Elmo had reported a workplace fatality and that the administration was following up with the employer for more information.
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Earlier on Monday, Craig Huse, CEO of Huse Culinary, released this statement:
“We are continuing to work with the Marion County Public Health Department on how and when it will be safe to reopen St. Elmo Steak House. We would like to thank Dr. Virginia Caine and the Marion County Public Health Department for providing us with invaluable guidance and best practices to safely reopen. With Dr. Caine’s direction and plan, we have conducted a professional deep cleaning and sanitization of the restaurant and provided employees with the highest and most accurate level of testing. All returning employees will have a negative PCR test result from a Marion County Public Health Department facility or already be fully vaccinated in order to return safely to work. It is our understanding the Marion County Public Health Department has not identified any potential exposure risk to customers based on their contact tracing.
To respect and protect the privacy of all nine employees who tested positive, we will not identify any of these individuals.
The health and safety of our employees and guests has been and will remain our highest priority. We look forward to continuing to serve our guests safely while following best practices.”
Craig Huse, CEO of Huse Culinary
Over the weekend, St. Elmo Steak House closed due to COVID-19, leaving a white paper sign on the door that said the restaurant has closed “out of an abundance of caution.”
Patrick Tamm, CEO and president of the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association, released this statement on Monday:
“Huse Culinary took action out of an abundance of caution to temporarily pause operations to ensure the safety of their team members and guests. St. Elmo Steak House is neither the first nor will it be the last among other businesses, retailers, manufacturers, medical offices, schools, places of worship, and restaurants to put in place pre-planned precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Tamm said. “I send my thoughts to the team members impacted for a swift recovery.”
Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association
The restaurant reported the positive cases to the Marion County Public Health Department on Saturday, the department said in a statement:
Last night, April 3, the Marion County Public Health Department was notified that St. Elmo Steak House was voluntarily and temporarily closing in response to multiple employees testing positive for COVID-19. We are working closely with the establishment to contact trace the reported cases and assess any possible exposures to other employees or customers, as well as provide guidance on sanitizing and safety measures for reopening. Residents and visitors are reminded of the continued importance of wearing a mask, washing hands, and social distancing in public – regardless of vaccine status – to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Marion County Public Health Department
Huse Culinary‘s brands include St. Elmo Steak House, Harry & Izzy’s, the 1933 Lounge, HC Tavern + Kitchen, St. Elmo Foods and Joey Chestnut Select.