Behind the Delivery: The New Delhi Restaurant San Francisco
The restaurant that brought the Obamas and Clintons the Indian maharaja experience in the heart of San Francisco, is in survival mode. According to the Independent Restaurant Coalition 85% of independent restaurants are anticipated to shut down by the end of 2020, and that reality is something that San Francisco's oldest Indian restaurant, the New Delhi restaurant could face in the coming months. In January 2020 the 32-year-old business was marked as a legacy business by the local government– considered essential to the soul of the city.
From the menus to the decor, everything that Chef Ranjan Dey built was meant for people to have an unique and authentic Indian luxury dining experience. For Chef Dey, the restaurant is not just about cooking food, it is about bringing people from different backgrounds together and having a shared experience with the goal of making his community move forward and grow with culture, love, and acceptance.
Even with its prime location in the downtown of San Francisco, the business has gone from earning thousands of dollars a day to merely hundreds. After opening 40 restaurants around the world, today, Chef Dey has cared about one thing above all else during this turbulent time: his core staff, 6 extended family members who have stood by him for 26 years. In order to keep his core staff employed during this challenging time, Chef Dey exhausted all available options including starting a gofundme campaign.
Despite these challenges, Chef Dey notes this period of time as a time for innovation and reinvention. Quickly changing menu items, pricing, and going digital, The New Delhi restaurant has launched curbsidecurry.com. Though the transition to this new business model has been difficult, he and his wife had a guiding light in this time which is that every disaster has a seed of opportunity. This business pivot has been an exciting time for Chef Dey as he is able to reconnect with the community he has always loved being a part of. The restaurant has been the epicenter of Indian culture and all social justice issues in the city. They even have a non-profit called compassionate chefs cafe that has uplifted the lives of about 3000 children in both the low income communities of San Francisco and the Gandhi ashram.
The New Delhi restaurant is about family, loyalty, and community and that’s why they were extremely excited to work with Feed Your Hospital. Having a chance to help the angels that are saving lives on the frontline was very motivating for Chef Dey who as a global citizen has deeply connected with the Asian community. To keep this legacy business alive the restaurant needs funds. We at FYH are glad to be able to help the New Delhi restaurant through your support. During this complicated time, it’s important to remember Chef Ranjan’s philosophy that “Change is inevitable but growth is optional”.
If you would like to support the New Delhi restaurant please donate to feed your hospital and if you would like to support Chef Ranjan Day sign up for his cook along on August 18th here and visit his site curbsidecurry.com.