Management at CZN Burak said the fame of chef Burak Ozdemir made it difficult to control crowds of fans and enforce Covid-19 measures. AFP
Management at CZN Burak said the fame of chef Burak Ozdemir made it difficult to control crowds of fans and enforce Covid-19 measures. AFP
Management at CZN Burak said the fame of chef Burak Ozdemir made it difficult to control crowds of fans and enforce Covid-19 measures. AFP
Management at CZN Burak said the fame of chef Burak Ozdemir made it difficult to control crowds of fans and enforce Covid-19 measures. AFP

'Fame of chef made it hard to control crowds': CZN Burak Dubai reopens on Sunday after temporary closure for breaching Covid-19 rules


Kelly Clarke
  • English
  • Arabic

A popular restaurant in Dubai owned by a celebrity chef was shut down on Friday for breaking Covid-19 safety regulations.

CZN Burak Dubai was closed after a spot check by the Department of Economic Development, in partnership with Dubai Tourism and Dubai Municipality.

The Turkish restaurant said it is due to reopen on Sunday, following changes to its coronavirus safety measures.

Its owner and chef Burak Ozdemir posts cooking videos on social media and has more than 20 million followers on Instagram.

The restaurant in Downtown Dubai told The National that large numbers of diners have visited the restaurant in recent months, due to its online popularity.

"Unfortunately, with the warm welcome and popularity of CZN Burak, the restaurant has been overwhelmed with the numbers of guests visiting," it said.

"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 said it has reduced the number of seats inside and outside the venue and has 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," it said.

"The restaurant will reopen on Sunday and the staff will make sure that all diners remain seated during their entire dining experience."

The department's actions are part of a campaign in Dubai against rule-breaking businesses.

The Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Economy closed two sports establishments and issued fines to seven other facilities for failing to enforce Covid-19 measures and safety guidelines.

Another six venues were issued warnings.

For months, the authorities have been sending out teams of inspectors throughout the emirate to ensure businesses are following social distancing and other Covid-19 measures.

Last weekend, an operator was fined Dh50,000 ($13,612) for holding a desert party with several hundred guests.

In a video posted on the Dubai Police Twitter page, it showed a blatant breach of the Covid-19 rules.

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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