A POPULAR pop-up kitchen is opening its own restaurant.

Fayaz Amlani started running his Swahili kitchen at the Dover Castle pub in Hanover, Brighton, four years ago.

Since then he has run pop-ups at other city pubs, including The Hare and Hounds, the Signalman, the Mesmerist and the Sir Charles Napier, and venues such as the Street Diner food market in Brighthelm Park, Brighton, and Florence Road farmers’ market.

Now Fayaz is launching his first permanent restaurant.

It was due to open at the site of the former Senor Buddha restaurant in Preston Road but Fayaz and partner Susie discovered they needed more time and money to open properly.

They have launched a crowdfunding campaign to try to make up the shortfall.

Fayaz said: “Growing up my staple foods were chapatti, mishkaki, curries and cassava.

“Susie questioned why she had never tried this type of cooking and looking into my heritage it became clear that my cuisine was little represented in the UK.

“My parents, African Asians were born in Uganda and their parents, were Gujarati migrants to East Africa.

“We have been popping up across Brighton for the last four year, as well as having time to grow our family with the arrival of our daughter Afia, our future samosa maker.

“Following the success of pop-ups and thousands of satisfied guests we are now planning our first permanent site.

“We have in fact, finally, got keys to our very own restaurant. We’ve managed to save most of the money we need to make this happen, but we need a little help to cross the finish line.

“We are planning to open our doors in the new year. However opening a restaurant is no small undertaking. To turn this site into the welcoming home of Kitgum, it involves spending on renovations, furnishings, equipment, legal fees.

“As a new restaurant our first year will be critical and we need to ensure we can survive it.

"Kitgum Kitchen is totally self funded to date and all the money we’ve made has been invested back into the business.

"We have managed to save a large chunk, but need help to get to our goal.”

To support the funding campaign for Kitgum Kitchen visit: crowdfunder.co.uk/kitgumtherestaurant.