Right of reply by Dr. Rami Sarraf in respect of Tribune article ‘Beating Brassica’:

“I invested in Brassica restaurant the trading name of Tayone Food Ltd. and was the silent partner until events occurred that I cannot talk about due to ongoing criminal proceedings against my former business partner in Brassica. I did what any businessman would do. I sought advice. The advice was that the chasm that had appeared between my business partner and myself was too great and therefore the corporate divorce solution of insolvency was the only path available. At that, I could have walked away. However, through loyalty to the staff of Brassica, I took steps to save it by purchasing the assets of Tayone Food Ltd. One might think this entirely laudable, but instead I faced a maelstrom of criticism, and the charge that I had engaged in the corporate practice of “phoenixing”. Ultimately, the conduct I uncovered was sufficient to justify a criminal prosecution being taken against an individual. Was this “phoenixing”? Or was this a professional gentleman being unfairly lambasted for doing the right thing at every turn? I was undoubtedly overly loyal to staff and too generous a funder, but the suggestion of engaging in “phoenixing” is simply arrant nonsense.”