Meet Afghan Refugee Who Turned His Love For India Into Scandinavian Restaurant Empire Indian Food Dhaba Enayatullah Safi

Today, chef Enayatullah is the force behind Dhaba Indian Kitchen, one of Scandinavia’s most celebrated Indian restaurant groups. With seven locations, two bestselling cookbooks, regular TV appearances, and a European Street Food Award, he’s become one of the Europe’s most compelling champions of Indian cuisine.

His path to becoming a culinary ambassador for a country he wasn’t born in is a story of exile, identity, and the power of food.

Born in Afghanistan, chef Enayatullah’s childhood ended at 13 when war forced him to flee alone. After a perilous journey, he found asylum in Denmark. In those early, isolating years, the kitchen became a refuge and a school. “Cooking was therapy,” he tells HT Lifestyle in an interview.

“I started as a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant, then prep in Mexican and Italian kitchens. When I found Indian cuisine, it became my anchor," he adds. That anchor was set years earlier by culture. For chef Enayatullah, India was an adopted homeland of the mind — discovered through dal and Hindi cinema.

“The first Indian dish I tasted was dal. The flavours, aroma, spices, the tadka — it was nothing like the simple dal we made in Afghanistan. It opened a new world," he says. "The movie was DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge). Since then, India has never been just a country to me. It’s been an emotion. Through Bollywood, I found a culture of colour, family, music, and love,” the chef adds.

India’s rugged roadside dhabas — known for robust, no-nonsense comfort food — sit worlds apart from Denmark’s minimalist design. Chef Enayatullah’s challenge was translating that raw energy without losing its soul. “Our mission is to give Scandinavia a modern dhaba,” he explains, adding, “Same soul and vision, but we had to understand our guests. When we started, many only knew salt and pepper. We introduced them to spice, aroma, and the complexity of Indian flavour.”

For decades, Western ideas of Indian food were flattened by generic curry powders and sweetened, cream-heavy dishes. Chef Enayatullah works to dismantle that. When Dhaba Indian Kitchen won the European Street Food Award, it wasn’t with fusion. It was with authenticity.

“We won with gobi aloo (aloo gobhi) and lamb kadhai,” he says. “Simple, deeply authentic dishes. We change our flagship menu twice a year to showcase regional India. Our current menu draws from Jaipur, Lucknow, Delhi, and Kochi. The goal is to show Scandinavians India’s true regional diversity, the chef adds.

Chef Enayatullah’s gift for weaving cultures together reached its peak when he cooked alongside the prime minister of Denmark at the Indian Embassy in Delhi. The menu was a cross-cultural dialogue on a plate: vegetarian hot dogs with Indian spices, naan open-faced sandwiches nodding to smørrebrød, butter chicken tartlets, and dal elevated with Nordic kale.

He says, “Food speaks a universal language. It creates conversation, builds understanding, and reminds us how much we share.” By pairing Scandinavian design with Indian depth, the meal showed how cuisine can cross borders and build kinship.

As Indian cuisine sees a global renaissance, chef Enayatullah sees food as diplomacy. “Every 100 kilometres, Indian food changes with climate, geography, history,” he says. “Few countries have that diversity. Talented Indian chefs worldwide are now presenting authentic regional food. India is finally getting recognition, and food can be one of its strongest forms of soft power," he adds.

Globalising cuisine, he insists, doesn’t mean diluting it: “The only thing I adapt is chilli level. People think Indian food is all heat. It’s not. It’s layers of flavour, aroma, balance, and technique. Keep those intact, and the soul stays authentic — even with local ingredients.”

With his Scandinavian base secure, chef Enayatullah looks outward. His next venture opens at Abu Dhabi Airport on September 24. Still, the full-circle moment remains ahead. “I’d love to open in India one day,” he says, adding, “A place that blends my Afghan heritage, my love for Indian cuisine, and the techniques and design I’ve learned in Denmark. Whether it happens tomorrow or later, I hope it becomes real.”

With a keen eye for detail and a heart for storytelling, Sanya is a seasoned lifestyle journalist who has spent over a decade documenting the intersection of aesthetics and substance. Since stepping into the media world in 2012, she has cultivated a career defined by versatility, curiosity, and an unwavering passion for what makes life both beautiful and meaningful. Over the last many years, she has navigated the fast-paced realms of health, wellness, fitness and fashion while pivoting seamlessly into the nuances of decor and travel. Her work often explores the deeper layers of modern living, delving into art and decor trends that transform spaces, insightful perspectives on gender, parenting, and mental health, immersive travel narratives that capture the essence of a destination. A self-proclaimed aesthetics enthusiast, Sanya doesn't just report on trends — she analyses them. Whether she’s identifying the next shift in fitness or discovering a breakthrough in design, she uses her platform to spark meaningful conversations that resonate with a contemporary audience. Sanya is an alumna of St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where she honed the investigative rigour she brings to her lifestyle reporting today. When she isn't chasing deadlines or conducting interviews, Sanya practices what she preaches. You’ll likely find her sipping matcha, practicing yoga, or scouting the newest cafes. Above all, she finds her balance in nature — whether it's a quiet hike or a moment of reflection in the outdoors, she remains constantly inspired by the tranquillity of the natural world.Read More