7 Delicious Foods Named After Real People

The Cobb salad is a classic tossed salad featuring a medley of ingredients including chopped chicken or turkey, tomatoes, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, and lettuce, all dressed with a tangy vinaigrette. Named after Robert H. Cobb, an American restaurateur of the mid-20th century, its exact origins are somewhat ambiguous.

Cobb Salad

The Bartlett, commonly referred to as the Bartlett pear, is renowned for its yellowish-green or sometimes red skin, surrounding sweet, whitish flesh. Named after Enoch Bartlett, a notable horticulturalist and merchant, the pear variety first appeared in the early 19th century.

Bartlett

Peach Melba, also known as pêche Melba, is a decadent dessert consisting of a halved peach filled with cream, served atop vanilla ice cream, and adorned with raspberry sauce. The dessert is named after Nellie Melba, the stage name of Helen Porter Mitchell, an illustrious Australian opera singer from the early 20th century.

Peach Melba

Caesar salad is a beloved tossed salad comprised of crisp romaine lettuce, garlic, anchovies, croutons, and a creamy dressing made from olive oil, coddled egg, lemon juice, and grated cheese. Contrary to popular belief, it is not named after Julius Caesar but rather after Caesar Cardini, an Italian-American restaurateur.

Caesar Salad

Béchamel is a classic French white sauce, sometimes enriched with cream, known for its versatility in culinary applications. Named after Louis de Béchamel, a 17th-century French courtier who served in the court of Louis XIV, the sauce became popular in haute cuisine during the 18th century.

Béchamel

The graham cracker, made from graham flour, is a slightly sweet cracker known for its health benefits and versatility in both sweet and savory dishes. Named after Sylvester Graham, a 19th-century dietary reformer, the cracker gained popularity despite initial resistance from food industry interests.

Graham Cracker

Salisbury steak is a savory dish made from ground beef mixed with egg, milk, bread crumbs, and seasonings, shaped into patties and cooked by broiling, frying, or braising. Named after James Henry Salisbury, a 19th-century American physician who promoted a diet emphasizing lean beef over vegetables, the dish gained popularity in the late 19th century.

Salisbury Steak