Jaffer Gulam Mansuri, owner of the iconic ‘Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar’ chain of restaurants famous for its biryani passed away due to cardiac arrest while being treated for Covid-19.

Originally from Ahmedabad, Mansuri played a major part in setting up the Delhi Darbar restaurant in 1973. In 2006, he branched out of the family business to set up ‘Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar’, which has a chain of restaurants across Mumbai. The restaurant is known for its tasty kebabs and biryani and it owns several restaurants in the city from Grant Road to Jogeshwari. It also has several restaurants in the UAE.

He was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital and had been on ventilator since September 2. According to his family members, Mansuri had not been feeling well for the past month.

Shivanand Shetty, president of the Association of Hotel & Restaurant (AHAR) said in a statement to Hindustan Times: “Delhi Darbar was one of the earliest attempts of brand building in the city. At the time, even when people owned multiple eateries, they did not have the same name. Jaffer Bhai built Delhi Darbar into a big, credible brand. His kebabs and biryani are known across the globe. He also introduced the idea of a central kitchen, wherein the main ingredients are sent from a single place to ensure the same taste across multiple branches.” He was one of the founder-members of AHAR when the association was formed in 1979.