Talk about a costly ‘coq up’. A piece of wire that found its way into a diner’s plate of coq au vin at award-winning chef Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne has seen the Manhattan restaurant fined $US1.3 million ($1.7 million).

Barry Brett and his wife visited Boulud’s midtown restaurant, famous for its gourmet burgers, in February 2015. Shortly after starting to eat, Brett felt something lodge in his throat and had to leave the restaurant, according to court documents.

The 2.5cm wire was from a cheap grill brush, according to Brett’s surgeon. Brett’s lawyers argued it could have led to a potentially fatal infection.

Last week, a New York jury ruled the restaurant had been negligent and awarded Brett $300,000, with the restaurant fined an additional $1m in punitive damages. Brett’s wife received $11,000.

The restaurant plans to appeal.