A Beef Wellington can rightfully be addressed as “His Majesty” because it represents the pinnacle of culinary artistry. Its taste is extravagant, much like the Duke of Wellington himself, in whose honor it was named.
When Arthur Wellesley defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he became a British national hero – the first Duke of Wellington. In his spare time, when not on the battlefield, he enjoyed quality red wines and was known for not eating anything between breakfast and dinner. The Duke himself was rather indifferent to food, and chefs desperately used all their skills and talents to please him. In one of these attempts, Beef Wellington was born. It features the finest beef fillet, wrapped in puff pastry. This preparation reminded the chefs of the Duke himself. Delicate in taste and complex to prepare, with an extraordinary recipe – anyone who tried it was delighted with its flavor. The Duke was no exception and it was frequently prepared in his honor.
The British guarded the recipe for this beef as their national treasure for a long time, not allowing other nations to access it. It wasn’t until the 20th century that it started being prepared in America. The Los Angeles Times published a recipe called “Beef Fillet à la Wellington” in 1903, which bears some resemblance to the well-known recipe today. President Nixon was also a great fan of this beef.