Mumbai Restaurant Employee Cleans Drain With "Frying Net", Owner Clarifies

The owner of Istanbul Darbar, a popular Mumbai restaurant, has issued a clarification following the release of a viral video showing an employee of the establishment cleaning a kitchen drain with a frying net. 

In the viral video, the staff sees someone taking a video of him but continues cleaning the drain with a net and then covers the drain slab after removing the waste material. The video, which was posted on X by a journalist, claimed the net is typically used for frying chicken. 

Siraj Noorani alleged in his tweet that “ISTANBUL DARBAR near Kalpana Theater on Kurla West LBS Road, Mumbai, which is said to serve delicious food” had hotel staff “cleaning the dirt from the drain with the help of a chicken frying net.” 

The footage quickly sparked outrage on social media, igniting concerns about the restaurant's hygiene practices. 

Now, Istanbul Darbar owner Shahbaz Sheikh has spoken out, clarifying the issue.  “The equipment that you can see in the video is purely used for cleaning. It is not used for cooking or frying,” Mr Sheikh said in an official Instagram video posted by the restaurant.

The caption of the video stated, "Don't believe everything you see online! Regarding the viral video: Istanbul Darbar maintains stringent hygiene standards to ensure your safety. Your trust means everything to us." 

Mr Sheikh also asked internet users to be aware of “false information because such videos are only made to defame people,” adding that “no restaurant owner will ever want to hurt the sentiments of customers.” He ended the video by assuring customers that the restaurant's hygiene was the team's primary responsibility.