On HC Andersens Boulevard 37, in central Copenhagen, there is a polished version of an Indian dhaba. Colourful, detailed yet balanced with Nordic minimalism, the restaurant draws on the warmth and informality of dhabas and were started by an Afghani-Danish chef, Enayatullah Safi. There are a couple more at food-hall locations that are more casual, counter-led and street-food oriented but all in all, these seven restaurants have been instrumental in building a cultural bridge between India and Denmark.

Originally from Kabul, Afghanistan, as far back as Safi can remember, Afghanistan was at war. “First there was the Soviet invasion, followed by civil war. As a child, you don’t really understand what is happening, but you live with it,” he recalls. His safe place was his grandfather, a people’s man who many sought out for advice. Safi would sit with him in the guest house as he proudly introduced him to his guests and encouraged him to speak, making sure they listened. Safi also remembers the big family feasts, when his grandfather, uncles and the rest of the family would gather around a table of at least 10 people. “That’s where my love to feed people grew. It runs in the family,” he adds.