If you love spicy food and exploring diverse culinary traditions today, it might surprise you to learn just how long ago the journey of South Asian flavors began in the United States. More than a century ago, specifically in 1901, an ambitious culinary pioneer opened what was very likely the very first Indian restaurant on American soil. His name—or at least the name he went by—was Ranji Smile, a figure as vibrant, theatrical, and mysterious as any character from a novel.
The story of how he crossed paths with the American food scene starts in the summer of 1899, when Smile sailed from London to New York. History has left us practically in the dark about his actual beginnings, real name, and early life. It is believed that “Ranji” was a tip of the hat to the famous Indian cricket star KS Ranjitsinhji, who was making waves in Britain at the time. Meanwhile, “Smile” could simply be an anglicized version of the name Ismail. Regardless of his past, Smile possessed a remarkable talent for reinvention. Upon passing through Ellis Island, he adopted a fresh identity tailored for the American dream: Joe.
Before his American adventure, Joe Ranji Smile had cooked curry at prestigious London spots like the Cecil and Savoy hotels. Louis Sherry, the owner of a lavish and glittering new establishment on Fifth Avenue called Sherry’s Restaurant, took notice of him and invited him to bring his talents across the Atlantic. While London already had a modest history of Indian dining dating back to the early 1800s, Manhattan tastebuds were largely unacquainted with masala.
However, curiosity regarding Indian culture was quietly growing in the city, fueled by visiting philosophers and a small influx of sailors, students, and professionals. Sherry’s was a legendary venue during the Gilded Age, rivaling Delmonico’s and catering to wealthy elites who enjoyed eccentric dining experiences, such as riding horses directly into ballrooms. Smile was a born showman who thrived in this opulent environment.
Patrons quickly developed an appetite for his unique creations, including Bombay duck and a dish called “Lettuce Ceylon.” Dining became a true spectacle. Dressed in a satin coat and a blue silk turban, Smile would perform a traditional greeting before asking customers if they preferred their curry hot or mild. Newspapers and magazines published his photographs, with headlines declaring that New York women were completely fascinated by him.
Building on his rising fame, Smile decided to strike out on his own in 1901. With financial backing from a prominent inventor and financier, he opened Omar Khayyam at 325 Fifth Avenue, just a short distance from prime Manhattan real estate. The restaurant was richly decorated with Indian draperies and hanging lanterns, staffed by a fleet of waiters in striking turbans, and accompanied by live Indian musicians. Smile eagerly waited for the crowds to pour in.
Unfortunately, the success was short-lived. Within a year, Omar Khayyam closed its doors. Local publications claimed that the public had simply grown tired of Indian food, writing it off as a passing trend. As his restaurant business faded, Smile’s theatrical flair unfortunately crossed the line into deceit and legal trouble.
He began fabricating grand backgrounds for himself, claiming to be a prince and the son of the emir of Baluchistan. During a brief trip to Bombay, he even recruited a large retinue of staff—including valets, a dancing girl, and elephant mahouts—while falsely claiming he was a guest at a royal coronation in London. Federal authorities later alleged that Smile illegally trafficked these workers into the US to staff his restaurant, a scandal that nearly resulted in his deportation.
Despite dodging deportation—though many of his workers were not as fortunate—Smile continued evolving his persona while marrying a series of impressionable young American women. He even marketed Indian food as a secret elixir for female beauty, showcasing his wives as living proof. He traveled the country hosting cooking demonstrations filled with entertainers like jugglers and dancers, shifting his fictional royal titles along the way.
Eventually, his tall tales and legal brushes caught up with him. By the 1920s, he had completely stepped away from cooking and listed his occupation simply as a merchant. The final documented trace of Smile appeared in 1937, when one of his former wives filed for an annulment in the New York Supreme Court against her long-absent husband. True to form, Ranji Smile’s final act of reinvention was simply to vanish entirely.
My Thoughts on How One Man’s Theatrics Built a Legacy
Reflecting on the whirlwind life of Ranji Smile, I find it fascinating how the very traits that brought him early glory—his dazzling showmanship, his knack for storytelling, and his vibrant presentation—ultimately contributed to his downfall. It is easy to look at his fabricated royal titles and legal troubles with a critical eye, but reading about his journey also reveals a lot about the peculiar dynamic between early immigrants and the American public at the turn of the 20th century. American society of the Gilded Age was endlessly hungry for exotic spectacles, and Smile was more than willing to supply the fantasy. Unfortunately, that same appetite for novelty meant that when the public grew bored, they moved on just as quickly as they had arrived.
Even though Omar Khayyam closed its doors quickly and Smile vanished into obscurity, I believe his efforts laid a crucial foundation for the future of multicultural dining in the United States. He proved that American palates, however unaccustomed they might have been at first, could be enticed by the rich aromas of South Asian spices. Following his path, other pioneers like KY Kira—who successfully opened the Ceylon India Inn in Harlem a decade later—found lasting success as the immigrant population grew. Smile may have been a complicated, elusive conman, but his colorful footprint in New York history remains an undeniable stepping stone toward the diverse culinary landscape we enjoy today.
Ultimately, while his recipes and restaurants faced steep hurdles, the curiosity he sparked outlived his theatrical deceptions. The journey of curry in America did not end with his disappearance; rather, it was only just beginning, paving the way for generations of culinary artists to share their heritage with a broader audience.
source: feeds.bbci.co.uk (www.bbc.co.uk)
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