When a dish is famous, it is normal to ask: where does this delicacy come from? Many places claim to be the creators of the Caesar salad and this world-famous dish has a history that is just as interesting as the comments surrounding it.

Tijuana natives know that this dish is part of their history, but many foreigners still cannot believe that it is not from the United States. There are even some who think that it is a European dish, claiming that this salad comes from some Italian province.

However, we know the truth: the beloved Caesar salad is not from the United States, Italy, or France. It was created in Tijuana, Baja California, and it has one of the most interesting histories in the world of gastronomy.

When this salad was invented, nobody thought that it would become the resounding success it is now. In fact, one could say its creation was just random chance. Prepare yourself to immerse yourself in the past, because we are about to tell you the history of the Caesar salad as on Thursday, July 4, it turns 100 years old. Currently, it has a restaurant, a hotel in Tijuana, and has had several imitators, though none of them can match its flavor and quality.

History of the Caesar salad

After an exhaustive 8-year investigation, specialist and historian José Fernando Escobedo de la Torre claimed that this salad's origin was on July 4, 1924 and it was created by César Cardini. Cardini arrived in Tijuana in 1920 due to Prohibition in the United States. In the mid-20s, as the owner of Hotel and Restaurant Caesar's in Tijuana, he was not able to find enough ingredients.

Right then, he decided to make a dish that his mother used to make in Italy when there weren't enough ingredients. The combination of fresh lettuce with a special dressing made by him, alongside recently made croutons, became a success that made him famous.

After that, in 1938, he moved to LA and started to commercialize his dressing which he called "Cardini's Original Caesar Dressing Mix". The rest is history.

A success in Hollywood

The salad was a resounding success in Hollywood. A clear example of this is the movie "The Long, Long Trailer" (1954) starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were also stars of the famous show "I Love Lucy".

In this movie, there is a scene where they show the making of this salad. In this scene, Lucille's character explains to her husband how to cut the lettuce properly to enhance the salad's flavor.

100th Year Anniversary

On Sunday, July 7, 2024, the 100th Anniversary Festival of the Caesar Salad will take place at Avenida Revolución in Downtown Tijuana, between 4th and 5th Streets from 1 PM to 10 PM. This event will have as its epicenter the famous Caesar's Restaurant where 30 chefs will gather to provide a unique gastronomic experience.

Renowned Chef Javier Plascencia shared his enthusiasm for this celebration on his Facebook account, offering an exclusive preview of the making of the iconic Caesar salad.

This event is not only a gastronomic celebration, but a tribute to the rich history and culinary innovation that has defined Tijuana in the last 100 years.

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