A tiny restaurant in Mumbai was once teetering on the brink of permanent closure, operating out of a cramped 250-square-foot space with seating for just nine people. Plagued by persistent losses, the owners had already made up their minds to shut down the establishment for good. With a mounting debt of around 18 lakh rupees, the situation grew so grim that preparations to pull down the shutters were finalized by September 2022. However, a solitary celebrity online order acted as a miraculous turning point, completely reversing the fortunes of the sinking business.
The Humble Beginning and Mounting Debts
Driven by a passion to bring authentic Delhi flavours to Mumbai, two brothers Jaspal Singh Khalsa and Mahinder Singh Khalsa launched the restaurant named "Delhi Se" in Chembur on October 15, 2021. While business was initially stable, sales began to plummet sharply by January 2022. Within a few months, conditions deteriorated to the extent that the duo accumulated a debt of roughly 18 lakh rupees. Struggling with dwindling customer footfall and rising operational costs, they initiated preparations to close down the outlet by September 2022, as running it every single day became an unmanageable financial burden.
The Initial Spark from a Stand-up Comedian
The tide began to turn when stand-up comedian Abishank Upadhyay visited the eatery and tasted the chhole bhature. Interestingly, the restaurant owners did not even recognize him at the time, but he appreciated the food and praised it on his social media handle. Immediately following his post, the next day witnessed a noticeable surge in customer visits, giving the struggling owners a faint glimmer of hope that things might finally improve after months of despair.
Anushka Sharma Order Becomes the Ultimate Game Changer
The ultimate catalyst arrived when actress Anushka Sharma discovered the eatery and placed an order for chhole bhature specifically for Virat Kohli. Initially, the restaurant owners suspected it might be a prank, but the order turned out to be entirely genuine. Subsequently, Anushka shared a post on social media highlighting that she found authentic Delhi-style chhole bhature and credited Abishank Upadhyay for the recommendation, catapulting the tiny establishment into national headlines.
A Dramatic Transformation and Present Success
Following the viral social media post, long queues of customers began forming outside the restaurant daily. A kitchen that previously prepared just 8 kilograms of chhole began cooking up to 100 kilograms within a matter of days. Today, "Delhi Se" boasts four thriving outlets across Chembur, Mulund, Andheri West, and Vashi. According to reports, the business now sells over 3,000 plates of chhole bhature every single day, demonstrating how exceptional taste and timely digital exposure can completely rewrite the destiny of a small enterprise.
