Flaming Dish Set Off Restaurant Sprinklers

A work party got more than they ordered when staff at a Cava Mezze in Baltimore brought out a 'special surprise' for them at the end of their meal.

As staff emerged from the kitchen carrying plates of the Greek cheese dish saganaki, customers' cries of delight turned to howls of despair.

Staff had set the plates on fire, for dramatic effect, which blasted the heat detector above and set off the sprinklers - firing gallons of water onto employees and customers.

Diners run for cover and away from the reach of the sprinklers which continue to spray the room.

The hilarious event occurred on April 17 at a branch of the Cava Mezze chain in Baltimore, Maryland.

A saganaki is a Greek dish cooked in a two-handled frying pan which is made of cheeses including halloumi and feta.

For dramatic effect, the frying pans are set alight, often sending a gust of flame towards the ceiling.