After an abrupt shut down on Friday for breaking COVID-19 safety regulations, CZN Burak Dubai has reopened.
The world-famous restaurant, which has become a phenomenon since opening on December 25, was closed by the Dubai government over the weekend.
Dubai Media Office reported on Friday that the Dubai Municipality, in cooperation with Dubai Department of Economic Development and Dubai Tourism “closes a famous restaurant in Dubai for not adhering to Covid-19 precautionary measures,” on Twitter.
The photos included in the post blurred, included the chairs matching those at CZN Burak. A source confirmed the story to Esquire Middle East.
The restaurant spoke to The National, confirming the shutdown and announcing that the restaurant would reopen on Sunday for Valentine’s Day.
“Unfortunately, with the warm welcome and popularity of CZN Burak, the restaurant has been overwhelmed with the numbers of guests visiting,” the restaurant told The National.
“With Chef Burak being a famous and loved celebrity, it has been a bit challenging for the restaurant to control the crowds who came to greet and meet him in person.”
The restaurant told the Abu Dhabi newspaper that it had reduced the number of seats inside and outside the venue, adding that they have been conducting weekly PCR testing of staff.
“[We] take this as an opportunity to implement better and stricter safety measurements to ensure the compliance with the local government regulations,” the restaurant said.
“The restaurant will reopen on Sunday and the staff will make sure that all diners remain seated during their entire dining experience.”
Customers on social media who tried to visit the “no booking” restaurant on Friday commented on the restaurant’s Instagram account. “U were closed today and no announcement to customers, just wasted time getting to you and parking, guys,” wrote @krissy_b_g.
Burak Özedmir, the celebrity chef and co-owner of the restaurant who has amassed more than 20 million followers on Instagram for viral food videos featuring his trademark smiling face, continued posting on Instagram through the weekend.
CZN Burak has been a huge success story since opening two months ago, serving more than 45,000 customers in its first month, including celebrities such as footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and actor Steven Segal.
The restaurant is a collaboration between Özedmir and Dives Holding. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 600 during COVID-19 restrictions which was planned to expand to 1200 once COVID-19 restrictions ended. It also reportedly has the biggest oven in the GCC.
Özedmir and Dives Holding have plans to open CZN Burger in Dubai Mall in the near future.
With COVID-19 cases still elevated, Dubai has introduce a raft of safety measures and restrictions in addition to those that have already been in place, reducing capacities in many public facilities such as malls, movie theatres and beaches, and closing pubs and bars for the entirety of February.
This was not be not the first time Dubai has closed a restaurant for failing to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions. Five restaurants were shut down three weeks ago after investigations by authorities found them to be skirting the rules.
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