Saffron San Carlos: A Conversation with Ajay and Reena, and the Slow Art of Feeding a Community

Ajay Walia and Reena Miglani in front of Saffron Restaurant in San Carlos, 2025.

Ajay and Reena’s restaurant journey began with Saffron in San Carlos, a neighborhood spot that grew out of their shared love of cooking and community. Their success later expanded into Rasa, which earned a Michelin star, and Amara, each restaurant reflecting their commitment to warmth, craft, and approachable fine dining.

There’s a small ritual that unfolds every time someone steps into Saffron San Carlos: the warm spices drifting from the kitchen, the easy greetings from staff who seem to know everyone by name, the feeling that for many guests this place is a second home. It’s the kind of atmosphere that suggests something deeper is simmering beneath the surface. Not theatrics. Not trend-chasing. More like years of quiet intention.

Saffron has been a fixture in San Carlos for twenty years and has been Michelin-recognized since 2019, but the story behind it reaches further back, beginning in New Delhi kitchens and winding through corporate towers in Chicago before settling into downtown San Carlos. When you sit with Ajay and Reena, the husband-and-wife team behind Saffron and its sister restaurants, you start to understand that the food, the hospitality, and the sense of place all come from an origin rooted in memory, family, and the kind of partnership that grows over decades.

Early Imprints: Delhi, Sundays, and the Energy of Food

“I grew up in New Delhi in a family where food brought everyone together,” Ajay recalls. “My strongest memories are from Sundays when my mother made our favorites like Chole and Puris, or Paneer Pulav. It was simple, comforting, and full of warmth. Meals like that taught me what good food really means. It is not about the technique. It is about how it makes people feel.”

Delhi’s streets added their own layer to his education. “The street food, the sounds of tandoors at night, the energy around food. All of that is still in the back of my mind whenever I create a menu.”

Ajay and Reena in front of Saffron’s outdoor patio.

Ajay and Reena: Building a Life and a Business Together

“Reena and I met in New Delhi when we were young. We grew together through school, through life changes, and eventually through our time in Chicago where we both earned our MBAs. Those years shaped us. They made us partners in every sense.”

Before Saffron, Ajay was a former finance leader at J.P. Morgan and Deloitte; and Reena, a seasoned Silicon Valley executive with two decades in finance and technology. Ajay describes their dynamic with a clarity that only comes from time and experience.

“Reena has always been the strategic thinker. She sees the big picture quickly. I bring the culinary vision. Together we found a balance that became the heart of our restaurants. Saffron, Rasa, and now Amara all reflect who we are as people.” Warmth, generosity, quality, respect:  these are values Ajay and Reena share together deeply.

“Working together has taught us how to communicate honestly, how to trust each other’s strengths, and how to stay focused on what matters. There were challenging times, especially as we expanded, but moving through them together made our partnership stronger.”

A Return to Self: Leaving Finance for a Life in Food

For a while, Ajay tried to live the conventional path. MBA, finance, career growth. It worked until it didn’t.

“I enjoyed parts of my finance career, but cooking always made me feel more like myself. Hosting friends, feeding people, creating a moment for them. I realized that was what I wanted to do. Once I accepted that, the decision became very clear.”

That clarity set everything else in motion.

Ajay and Reena with their Michelin Star recognition

A Michelin Star and a New Chapter

“When Rasa earned its Michelin star, it felt unreal. It was a proud moment for our entire team, and it pushed us to raise our standards even higher,” Ajay said. The recognition brought them new guests, new expectations, and a deeper seriousness about every detail. It changed how people saw Rasa, and it motivated the team to keep growing.

It was also historic: a trailblazing moment for Indian cuisine. “Being the first Indian restaurant on the West Coast to earn a Michelin star was no small feat. It put our cuisine on the map in a new way and showed what was possible when we stayed true to our heritage while pushing ourselves creatively,” Ajay said.

Reimagining Fine Dining for Everyday Life

“Michelin is an honor, but it also brings an intensity that is not always sustainable for the people behind the scenes,” Ajay recalled. Moving towards a direction from traditional fine dining was a thoughtful decision they had to make. “We wanted accessibility, warmth, and a place where families could come often and feel at home. Reimagining Rasa as Saffron Burlingame allowed us to return to a more grounded style of hospitality. It felt right for us.”

“We did not move away from fine dining. We made fine dining more approachable,” Ajay replied.

“Fine dining has always been about technique, quality ingredients, and scratch cooking. We kept all of that, but we opened the experience so more people could enjoy it every day.” It’s a philosophy that now weaves through Saffron, Rasa, and Amara: thoughtful cooking presented with ease, craft without pretense, meals that feel like they belong to the community.

“We believe we nourish you every day, not only on special occasions.”

Inside Saffron Restaurant

A Dream Still in the Wings

Looking towards the future, Ajay smiles when he talks about an idea he keeps tucked away: “I would love to create a small chef’s table. Ten to twelve seats. One seating per night. No menu. Just seasonal cooking, storytelling, and a very personal experience.”

When asked about the next 20 years, Ajay share his hopes for Saffron to continue to mentor young cooks and future leaders. “I want us to expand our community work, partner with more local organizations, and build a leadership team that understands the values behind Saffron.”

A Message to San Carlos: Twenty Years of Feeding a Community

“San Carlos welcomed us from day one. We watched families grow, saw people celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and became part of their stories. The community supported Saffron before we had recognition or awards. Thank you for twenty years of trust and support. You shaped our journey, & we are grateful for every guest who has walked through our doors.”

The Quiet Ritual Continues

When you step back outside onto San Carlos Ave, the aroma of spices trails behind you, and for a moment you understand something from Ajay and Reena’s dream of a restaurant: that meals are always memories in motion. It stays with you longer than you expect. A quiet reminder that some places feed you long after you’ve left the table.

Saffron became a twenty-year cornerstone because of how Ajay and Reena have been cooking with the same intention that once filled a home kitchen in New Delhi on quiet Sunday mornings. A belief that food is at its best when it makes people feel cared for.

That’s the ritual that keeps unfolding here. And it’s one San Carlos seems glad to return to again and again.

PS: Chef’s Recommendations on What to Order at Saffron San Carlos

Ajay offers his suggestions with the generosity of someone sharing the dishes he believes carry the restaurant’s soul.

“I always recommend starting with Onion Bhaji or something from the Tandoor. For mains, Butter Chicken or Saffron’s Daal Makahni paired with Garlic Naan. And end with Pistachio Kulfi.”

Read amazing reviews of Saffron Restaurant at San Carlos Life. 

A generous banquet table at Saffton Restaurant.