Ziryab
The deaf at Ziryab
The presence of a high number of deaf staff at Ziryab and this level of inclusion in the workplace make it quite unique among restaurants worldwide.
Is it true that there are many deaf people working at Ziryab?
Yes! It is absolutely true. In fact, we believe that it is part of Ziryab’s charm, as there are very few places in the world with this particularity. Companies who value diversity and inclusion and actively invest in it… places that offer people a service in their own language, these is very rare still. Here, you can practice your sign language, or ask the waiters how to say “thank you”, “this is very good” or “this place is definitely fabulous…” in signs!
Our team is multiculturally diverse too! We have deaf colleagues from Catalonia but we also frequently have deaf people from other countries who come to do internships with us at Ziryab. These staff members usually understand any language, which helps if you want to write something on a paper or on your mobile to communicate something specific with them!
As one of the owners is deaf, having a strongly deaf-centred team is an important aspect for us. This allows us to give job opportunities to deaf people in the bar and restaurant sector, raise awareness of deafness and disability, teach sign language to our hearing staff and also to be able to offer a sign language service for deaf guests who visit us from Catalonia and all over the world. Our cocktail bar/lounge is run only by deaf people!