Dans Le Noir – an innovative restaurant where guests dine in complete darkness and are served by blind or visually impaired waiters – will open in London on 1 March.

The first Dans le Noir – Dining in the Dark – restaurant opened in Paris two years ago, and has since served more than 50,000 guests.

Located on Clerkenwell Green in Farringdon, the London branch will cater for between 60–86 diners. The establishment will offer a French-based cuisine using Fair Trade and organic products where possible, as well as wine and unusual cocktails. Guests will choose their meal in the lounge before entering the completely dark restaurant via an ante-room.

Eight visually impaired waiters have already been trained to guide patrons through their dining experience. Special security systems and emergency exits are also in place to ensure that customers can dine in complete safety.

British owner Ethik Investment has been working on the project in partnership with UK charity the Fredericks Foundation for a year in order to find the right applicants for the job. Ten per cent of the annual profits will be distributed to charities, including some that work with the blind.

Edouard de Broglie, CEO of Ethik Investment and director of Dans Le Noir, created the concept in Paris with marketing specialist Etienne Boisrond. They have explained the concept as “… A sensory and positive social challenge. The preconception of what food tastes like is gone. All your other senses are abruptly awoken and you taste the food like you have never tasted it before. It makes you rethink everything.”

The Parisien restaurant has featured imaginative events in the dark, such as famous writers reading their work to diners, wine tasting and blind-dating clubs, as well as school visits to educate children about blindness. Details: www.danslenoir.com/london