When Arvinder and Pardeep Vilkhu started their catering company in 2003, neither of them had ever cooked professionally. Arvinder, however, had served 31 years as general manager of The Pickwick Club.

“We started it because members of The Pickwick Club and members of our community were interested in having Indian food for their celebrations. We catered on weekends,” Arvinder said.

In 2011, the Vilkhus launched Saffron NOLA in Gretna, with Arvinder Vilkhu heading up the kitchen and their son Ashwin at his side . It initially operated as a Friday-night-only dinner restaurant, occasionally hosting special set-menu dinners and Sunday brunches.

In 2017, Saffron NOLA became a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Magazine Street, serving Indian food described by Arvinder Vilkhu as "authentic but r

See Full Page