When I was a student studying culinary arts at the CIA, preparing Caesar salad and fambéed desserts were competencies we were tested on when we were studying in the school restaurants.
Caesar salad is delicious for a variety of reasons...  croutons fried or toasted with olive oil provides great texture and is delicious, Caesar salad dressing is  an 'umami bomb' of flavor...  savory and deeply satisfying notes from anchovies, Worcester sauce, aged parmesan cheese and rich, creamy mouthfeel from the fat from egg yolks.. absolutely delicious.

Caesar Salad

Caesar salad continues to be one of the most popular salads on restaurant menus. In many restaurants I've worked at, Caesar salad was prepared tableside and was a very theatrical presentation. There was always a very tall pepper mill!

When I was a student studying culinary arts at the CIA, preparing Caesar salad and fambéed desserts were competencies we were tested on when we were studying in the school restaurants.


The salad is widely credited to Caesar Cardini, an Italian-born restaurateur who operated restaurants in San Diego and Tijuana during the 1920s. According to the most accepted account, the salad was created on July 4, 1924, when a rush of guests depleted the kitchen inventory. Cardini assembled what he had on hand—romaine lettuce, eggs, olive oil, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Parmesan, and croutons—turning necessity into a delicious, signature classic.


Notably, anchovies were not part of Cardini’s original version; instead, the subtle umami flavor came from Worcestershire sauce. Over time, anchovies became a common—and now expected—addition, along with Dijon mustard and other refinements as the recipe spread and evolved.

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 10 min for croutons

Yield: 4 portions


Ingredients      Dressing

4 Tbsp          Anchovy fillets

4 ea                Garlic cloves

1 tsp               Kosher Salt

2 Tbsp          Egg yolks (pasteurized) or Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp          Worcestershire sauce

1  Cup.          Extra Virgin Olive oil   

2 Tbsp         Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed

t.t.                 Kosher Salt

t.t.                 Black Pepper, freshly ground  

t.t.                 Parmesan cheese, grated (about 5 Tbsp)

4 Cups        Romaine lettuce, torn (or cut) and rinsed in cold water-spun dry

2 Cups        Croutons (see recipe in cookbook blogs)

How to Prepare the Salad

Step 1

Assemble mise en place; prepare the croutons and reserve.




Rinse the romaine lettuce leaves so that each leaf is bitesize-you may choose to cut the leaves as well-I prefer torn lettuce leaves. Spin dry and reserve.




Put the anchovy, garlic and salt into a bowl-the salt will help to keep the garlic from sliding around the bowl. Smash with a wooden spoon until this forms a paste. Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Add the egg yolks or mayonnaise at this time and blend.




Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, stiffing to create an emulsion. 





Add the lemon and seasonings while continuing to whisk.






Step 2

Place the lettuce, grated cheese and half of the croutons into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, toss until the dressing nicely coats the lettuce leaves. Serve on plates and garnish with additional grated cheese, freshly ground black pepper and croutons-you may also lay an anchovy fillet over each salad if you like.

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