On 24th February 1896, restaurateur Cesare “Caesar” Cardini was born in the lakeside town of Baveno, on the western shore of Lake Maggiore. More than a century later, his name remains synonymous with one of the world’s most recognisable dishes: the Caesar salad.
Cardini grew up in a large family with four brothers and two sisters. Like many Italians in the early 20th century, several of the Cardini brothers emigrated in search of opportunity. Nereo settled in California, while Alessandro and Gaudenzio headed to Mexico City.
Cesare left Italy in 1913, arriving at Ellis Island in New York on 1 May after crossing the Atlantic as a steerage passenger. Conditions for those travelling in the cheapest class were basic, with migrants sleeping in crowded cargo holds fitted with bunk beds. After a brief return to Italy, where he is believed to have worked in restaurants in Milan, Cardini went back to the United States in 1919, settling first in Sacramento and then in San Diego.
Entrepreneurial during Prohibition
His entrepreneurial instincts flourished during the Prohibition era. Between 1920 and 1933, when alcohol was banned in the US, many American restaurateurs opened establishments just across the Mexican border, where restrictions did not apply. Cardini established a restaurant in Tijuana, reportedly with his brother Alessandro, who was known as Alex. The venue attracted streams of American visitors eager to dine and drink legally.
Creation of Caesar salad
According to family lore, the Caesar salad was born there on 4 July 1924. With the restaurant packed for Independence Day and supplies running low, Cardini improvised. The only fresh ingredient left was romaine lettuce. At the table, he combined whole leaves with raw egg, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce, tossing the mixture theatrically before inviting diners to lift the dressed leaves by their stems and eat with their fingers.
The combination proved an immediate success. Word spread quickly across the United States, and the salad became a staple of American dining. Among those credited with introducing it to Europe was Wallis Simpson, later the wife of Edward VIII. She is said to have asked her French chef to learn the recipe.
Cardini returned permanently to the United States in the 1930s as tourism to Tijuana declined following changes in Mexican gambling laws. He moved first to San Diego and then, in 1938, to Los Angeles. Demand for his dressing grew steadily. Friends began requesting bottles to take home, prompting his daughter Rosa to sell it commercially. In 1948, Cardini patented the recipe and founded Caesar Cardini Foods, building a brand that would eventually occupy a significant share of the US salad dressing market.
Cesare Cardini died in 1956 after suffering a stroke at his home in Los Angeles. Rosa expanded the business further before retiring in 1988. Today, the brand name is licensed to T. Marzetti Company, itself founded by Italian emigrants.
