Sake Dean Mahomed

Pioneering Indian entrepreneur who introduced South Asian culture to Europe

Sake Dean Mahomed (1759–1851) was a trailblazing figure who bridged Eastern and Western cultures during the 18th century. Born in Patna, India, he served in the British East India Company's army before migrating to Ireland in 1784. There, he married an Irishwoman and became the first Indian author to publish a book in English: The Travels of Dean Mahomet (1794), a vivid account of Indian culture.

In 1810, Mahomed opened London's first Indian restaurant, the Hindoostane Coffee House, introducing curry and hookah to British society. Though the restaurant failed financially, it laid the groundwork for South Asian culinary influence in Europe.

Later, he reinvented himself as a "shampoo surgeon" in Brighton, popularizing champi (head massage) and herbal steam baths. His bathhouse attracted aristocrats including King George IV, revolutionizing England's spa culture.