Today's Edition
SAMIHAH ZAMAN (ABU DHABI)
He started out as a simple accounting clerk, but it was Abu Dhabi’s support of entrepreneurship that enabled Kesavan Muraleedharan to taste success.
The man who set up a tiny coffee shop in the 1980s is now an Indian restauranteur who heads SFC Group, with plans to take premium Indian and Emirati flavours from the UAE capital to the world.
“I came to the UAE to work on the accounts of a food trading company in Dubai, and found myself in Abu Dhabi after a few years. Everything here was geared toward supporting business activity,” Muraleedharan told Aletihad in an exclusive interview.
From clerk to restaurateur: How #AbuDhabi helped shape #UAE success story
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“People have loved us through the years. Generations of families have been patrons of our various outlets"
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So even when his cafe failed, Muraleedharan remained optimistic about his prospects.
His optimism has been well rewarded: the fast-food joint he launched in 1991, Southern Fried Chicken, has grown to a chain of 20 outlets across the UAE, while his Indian fine dining concept, India Palace, has become one of the country’s best-loved brands.
Its outlets serve Mughal cuisine in a luxurious ambience that showcases Indian art and culture.
In 2022, when the Department of Culture and Tourism kicked off its Urban Treasures initiative to recognise leading Abu Dhabi businesses, the first-ever India Palace outlet, located on Sheikh Zayed Street, was one among 15 entities selected for the award.
“People have loved us through the years. Generations of families have been patrons of our various outlets, and our vision now is to give back to the country that has welcomed us as guests and fostered our growth,” Muraleedharan said as he reflected on the honour.
His efforts led to the creation of Miknan, an Emirati dining concept that seeks to promote and celebrate the UAE’s most loved dishes, from harees and margouga to ouzi and mandi.
“We were really fortunate to have the support of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, who advised us on the dishes and tastes that define Emirati cuisine. His Highness also attended the inauguration, and we now hope to take this venture from strength to strength,” Muraleedharan said.
The hospitality expert shows no sign of slowing down. This month, he is celebrating the 50th year of operations at Golden Dragon, a popular Asian restaurant chain in Dubai that the SFC Group acquired about a decade ago.
Muraleedharan is also working to establish a central kitchen in KEZAD, from where he aims to franchise India Palace and Miknan with the support of his son, Rohith Muralya, now director of concept cuisine at SFC Group.
“We are developing rigorous food and safety standards for our brands that can be applied internationally. Once we roll out the central kitchen, and we anticipate it will take a few years, we want to take both Indian and Emirati culinary experiences abroad, across the GCC, to Europe, and indeed everywhere else,” Muraleedharan added.
