MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The owner of an upscale Grand Strand seafood restaurant featured on The Cooking Channel’s “Chef Swap at the Beach” is denying allegations that a foreign object inside one of its dishes caused a violent choking episode last year.
An Aug. 29 lawsuit filed by Tiffany and Kevin Buddington names Heidi’s Corner Restaurant Group and its Hook & Barrel brand as co-defendants, suing on grounds including negligence and product liability.
According to the complaint, the Buddingtons went to dinner at Hook & Barrel on Sept. 21, 2023, where Tiffany ordered a bowl of she crab soup.
“While eating her soup, Mrs. Buddington felt a sharp, painful sensation in her throat and began to choke. Mr. Buddington quickly administered the Heimlich maneuver on his wife, causing Mrs. Buddington to spit out a metal bobby pin,” the complaint says. “A second, identical bobby pin was later discovered and surgically removed from her stomach.”
An X-ray image taken at Grand Strand Medical Center and included in the lawsuit shows the object in her stomach.