One hundred and twenty-five years ago, in 1901, an Indian chef opened what was almost certainly the first Indian restaurant in the US. Ranji Smile was one of the most colourful and enigmatic figures to shape the American food scene. In the summer of 1899, Smile sailed from London to New York.
We know hardly anything about his origins and early life, not even his real name. "Ranji" was probably a nod to the Indian cricketing sensation KS Ranjitsinhji, then a star attraction at Test matches in Britain. "Smile" could have been an anglicisation of "Ismail".
Whatever his origins, Smile possessed an uncommon knack for reinvention. Once through the portals of Ellis Island, he appended a new name to his identity, something more in keeping with America's egalitarian promise: Joe. Joe Ranji Smile arrived in New York to work at Sherry's Restaurant, a glittering new establishment on Fifth Avenue.
In London, he had been a curry cook at the Cecil and Savoy hotels. Here, according to an 1899 profile in Harper's, he was noticed by Sherry's owner, Louis Sherry, who invited him to bring his culinary skills across the Atlantic. Late Victorian London already boasted an Indian dining scene: as early as 1810, Sake Dean Mohamed, a native of Patna, had opened his Hindostanee Coffee House near Portman Square, plying customers with both curry and hookah.
Manhattanite tastebuds lacked much exposure to masala. There was, however, growing curiosity about India and its culture. Swami Vivekananda, the spellbinding orator and exponent of Hindu philosophy, enthralled audiences during his visits to the city in the 1890s.
At the same time, more Indian sailors, students and professionals trickled into New York. This was probably why Louis Sherry decided to add a curry cook to his kitchen staff. At Sherry's Restaurant, Smile joined one of the great culinary institutions of the American Gilded Age.
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