Dark Saffron in Old Milton Road will re-open on September 20 following its closure on August 12 to allow Bangladeshi staff to go home after the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Masina, fled the country. Given six weeks off, the restaurant's manager, Max Robot, has shared he is happy that it will re-open and that it will also have a new chef. Max said: "We were closed because of a staff emergency.
Our chef is from Bangladesh and the country currently has a big problem. "Many of the chef's houses have been burned and that's why we've closed because my staff are suffering. They've been attacked.
I gave them six weeks to save their life and family before they start working again." Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has become the chief advisor in Bangladesh, which is equivalent to Prime Minister, after an uprising caused Ms Hasina to step down and flee the country. After weeks of violence started by student activists who led the uprising, Mr Yunus has shared that he hopes to restore peace and has begun to prepare the country for new elections.
Despite the upset to his business, Max believes it was the correct decision to give his staff time off and is hopeful it will continue to be successful when doors re-open. He said: "If I had forced them to open the doors and cook , I would be messing around and they wouldn't be doing it from the happiness of their hearts. "Business has been good since we opened, it has been a bit up and down.
During the holiday period, we're very busy and it was the same in October. "Our food is very different because I was a chef in five-star hotels like the London Marylebone hotel." The restaurant has timed the re-opening of the business with its first anniversary and has revealed that it will also have a new menu.
Priding itself on serving Indian fusion food, Max shared that the new chef is also Bangladeshi and has 40 years of experience..
