Detroit chef Omar Anani to close Saffron De Twah for 6 months to go on sabbatical

Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·2 min read
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Owner and head chef Omar Anani in the kitchen of Saffron De Twah on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Detroit. The restaurant specializes in modern Moroccan food. Anani is holding a pulled barbecue lamb sandwich and a side of beans.
Owner and head chef Omar Anani in the kitchen of Saffron De Twah on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Detroit. The restaurant specializes in modern Moroccan food. Anani is holding a pulled barbecue lamb sandwich and a side of beans.

Omar Anani, an award-winning chef and owner of Saffron De Twah, has shined in recent months, from being a James Beard Award finalist to a recent regional win on the Food Network’s “Chopped: All American Showdown."

Now, Anani needs to take a break.

According to a Sunday Instagram post, Anani is taking a six-month sabbatical to focus on his “mental health & physical well-being, personal projects, Saffron Community Kitchen, culinary travel and more.” The post noted that Anani severely sprained his hamstring while working at the restaurant and that was his sign to take a break and heal.

Saffron De Twah, on Gratiot just east of downtown, will be closed to the public starting Aug. 21 as it shifts to limited service, with plans to reopen in March 2024.

“It may seem odd to consider doing this while all this success is happening, but the reality is that shows like 'The Bear' aren’t just dramatic for the sake of viewers," the post said. "The industry is hard on chefs’ bodies and on their mental and emotional health and we know other chefs who have suddenly passed away from heart attacks or because of severe depression.”

Anani, according to the post, has been working in a kitchen since he was a young kid and has been considering taking a break for some time.

Omar Anani, owner and chef at Saffron De Twah in Detroit, cooks some Moroccan dishes for takeout from his Detroit restaurant on Feb. 25, 2021.
Omar Anani, owner and chef at Saffron De Twah in Detroit, cooks some Moroccan dishes for takeout from his Detroit restaurant on Feb. 25, 2021.

Saffron De Twah is known for its affordable Moroccan-inspired street food and halal offerings on the city's east side.

Anani was a finalist for a James Beard Award for Best Chef Great Lakes region for two consecutive years. He also was named a Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Food Fighter for his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to help feed metro Detroiters in need. In 2020, Saffron De Twah was named the No. 3 Best New Restaurant by the Detroit Free Press and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers.

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On Food Network’s "Chopped," Anani was one of 16 cooks from across the country that represented East, West, North and South regions. Anani took home the North region title, earning $50,000 and a chance to compete on Food Network’s “Chopped: All American Showdown." The show aired on Aug. 8, with Sara Bradley of Freight House Restaurant in Paducah, Kentucky, winning the showdown.

Anani is also trying to support his staff with placement elsewhere in the industry.

“Hospitality to us means valuing people over profits and we wanted to do right by our small but mighty team,” the post read.

Saffron De Twah will still be doing private catering, working on SCK and hosting pop-ups. For more information, go to saffrondetwah.com.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Saffron De Twah to close for 6 months as Omar Anani takes break