In 1810, Sake Dean Mahomed opened the Hindoostane Coffee House in central London. This was the UK’s first curry house, and it was an idea ahead of its time. 
In 1810 he opened the Hindoostane Coffee House serving Hookha with real Chilm tobacco and Indian-style dishes. The premises is now a building called Carlton House.Mr Mahomed’s plan had been to serve “Indianised” British food which would appeal to the Indian aristocracy in London as well as British people who had returned from India, he said.
“The Indian aristocracy however would not come out to eat in the restaurant because they had chefs at home cooking more authentic food – it was just not a big enough draw to come out.” [Link]
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p>Unable to draw either brown or white diners, he was forced to declare bankruptcy two years later in 1812.
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p>While his restaurant was a bust, Sake Dean Mohamed recovered and went on to further success. He opened up a “health resort” (or sorts) in Brighton, specializing in “shampooing” — steam room massage.
He received the ultimate accolade by being appointed Shampooing Surgeon to both George IV and William IV. [Link]
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p>Mohamed seems to have been quite a colorful character. He joined the East India Company Army at 11, and rose all the way to the rank of captain. He served as a “trainee surgeon” although other accounts also indicate that he fought in a series of campaigns.
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p>He emigrated to Ireland in 1786, when he was 25. There he wrote his first book, The Travels of Dean Mahomet, making him the first Indian to have a book published in English. He also “ran away with” an Irish woman who became his wife, Jane Mahomet.
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p>His second book, published in 1820, was called “Shampooing; or benefits resulting from the use of the Indian Medicated Vapour Bath” and went into 3 editions. “He even had poems written in his honour.”
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Test … I think one can still post here despite the formatting problems.
Apparantly, the word ‘shampoo’ finds its root in the ancient Indian word “Champi” – to massage. Dean Mahomed popularized the culture of shampoo in Enlgland.
looks like the starbucks logo.
or should I say that the starbucks logo looks like it.
I talked about the intriguing (and slightly scandalous) Hobson-Jobson definition of “shampoo” here.
‘Hindoostane’ lmao! eh…that’s suppose to be racist against desis, right??
Ummm – no – that’s what it was called back then, in 1810, by the desi owner.
Extremely interesting read. I’m always fascinated by history and this article shows us glimpse of us desis who travelled to ‘phoren’ places hundreds of years ago to make a living. It’s ironic that the place where Mohamet went bust on his business now can’t stop having enough of desi food today.
A few years ago I had read a similar article online about the earliest Desis landing in America. There were pictures of them and a few pages there had traced individuals who took up farming in Fresno, CA and became quite successful at it. The articles had also traced how Indians who had migrated hundred or more years ago to the US had married Mexicans..etc…was an amazing read. Pity I can’t remember what website I had read it on.
Try here and here.
He looks part negroid. Might be a descendant of the african habshis who once ruled Bengal.