Indian restaurant Dehli 6 wins top award - but owner nearly missed out on big moment due to email mix-up

Dehli 6, owned by Shah Lalon Amin, scooped the title of ‘Best Asian Street Food’ restaurant at the prestigious Asian and Restaurant awards held at the Hilton in Manchester.

However, the food entrepreneur had no idea he had been invited to the event, until he was contacted by phone by the awards organisers wondering why he had not responded to his email.

Lalon said: “I had no idea we had reached the shortlist until I received a phonecall from the organisers, two weeks before the actual night, asking if I would be attending the event as they had not heard from me.

“They said they had sent an email. It wasn't until I checked, I found it had gone into the spam box of my email. Of course, I said I would be attending.”

The restaurant , based in Ocean Road, South Shields, had been shortlisted after originally being nominated by 150 of its customers who had put the business forward - the second highest volume of nominations for any restaurant within the category.

He then underwent a strict selection process to be whittled down to the final few invited to the lavish ceremony in Manchester.

This included submitting further information through videos to express his values as a business and restaurant owner, a series of secret diners visiting his curry house and the assessment of online reviews of Delhi 6.

Lalon added: “I was so delighted when I received the award. I was totally humbled by it, I could not be more grateful for what I have won.

“I was in a room with lots of restaurant owners and business owners who I look up to, and who I am in awe of. I was asking them, what is there secret of success. Then when it was announced we had won the award, they were asking me what the secret to my success was.

“It was overwhelming, as this is an award we have been vying for. We were up against some exceptional people in the industry.

“For me it's about sharing the moment with staff, we really do have a team who have such genuine care for our customers. It's great to see such passion from the people I work around. ”

Lalon won a Best of South Tyneside ‘Local Hero’ award in April 2022 for his efforts during the pandemic.

His inspiration to open a restaurant came from his father, Shah Ruhul Amin, who “always wowed his customers”.

He has wanted to own his own restaurant from the age of six.

For further information about Dehli 6 visit their Facebook page.