Tainted food eatery closes its doors

BURNET, Texas (KXAN) - Andy's Landing in Burnet shut its doors for good Saturday, nearly two weeks after two cooks were charged with tainting the police chief's food. Owner Andy Steffen said business dropped 50 percent after Jaime Perez, 23, and James Ledesma, 33, were arrested. Both suspects were arrested at work.

"I'm a little pissed," said Steffen when he showed up at the restaurant Monday to begin cleaning out his office.

It was an abrupt and unexpected end to his first experience owning his own restaurant, which he opened one year and eight months ago. "I was just reaching the point where I was kind of breaking even."

According to an arrest affidavit, Perez bragged about contaminating Burnet Police Chief Paul Nelson's order. He told a citizen he "wiped" himself with a hamburger bun he was serving. Perez also said he put the veggies in his mouth before placing them on the burger and proceeded to spit and blow his nose on it. On Oct. 11 investigators said an officer's dash cam video also captured an unruly Perez ranting about the chief and stated he spat on the buns and rubbed the buns "on his buns."

"My personal opinion is that he didn't actually do it," said Steffen. "He ran his mouth and said he did it."

Yet, despite his opinion, Steffen said the damage has been done. It did not take long to lose the positive reputation he built, one that earned Andy's Landing recognition as a local favorite for hamburgers and seafood.
 
"I could always say, 'I like my fish good and brown,' and they would brown it," said customer Gladys Beck.

She continued showing up for the fresh-tasting fish and personalized service, but she was not aware the restaurant permanently closed.

"It's just an unfortunate situation all the way around," said Beck.
 
The restaurant had a dozen employees who are now looking for other jobs. As for the owner, he said he would like to start a catering company in Houston.