Federico Peliti

Federico Peliti (29 June 1844 – 28 October 1914) was a baker, confectioner, hotelier, manager of restaurants in Shimla and Calcutta, and an amateur photographer in British India.

His restaurant in Shimla, Peliti's, was very popular and finds mention in numerous writings of the period including those by Rudyard Kipling.

Richard Bourke, 6th Earl of Mayo, Viceroy of British India in 1869 searched for a chef in Paris and held a competition which was won by Peliti.

I troll you no song that will hinder you long, I pen you no ponderous treatise, The theme that I sing is a gossamer thing As light as the cakes at PELITI'S.

Grey roofs mid the pines and a heaven that shines As blue as the water where Crete is, The malachite green of a misty ravine, That's the balcony view at PELITI'S.

There are mortals, may be, who abominate tea (One's poison another man's meat is), Who shy at the touch of a crumpet--for such There is music and love at PELITI'S.

Here the rulers of Ind, from the Salween to Sind, Take their ices and wafers (MCVITIE'S) And elaborate schemes over chocolate creams At five-o'clock tea at PELITI'S.

And I think, when we die and the wraiths of us fly To that peace which depends not on treaties, The joys which we find will but serve to remind Of the hours that we spent at PELITI'S.