The History Of Kentucky's Iconic Hot Brown Sandwich Began During Prohibition

Mention Louisville, Kentucky, and certain things might spring to mind — it's home to the famed Kentucky Derby, for instance, and the birthplace of Muhammad Ali. Known as "Bourbon City," Louisville also has its share of iconic culinary offerings and a thriving bourbon industry. One of the world's oldest cocktails, the old fashioned, is said to have been invented in Louisville, and the city is also famous for a dish called the Hot Brown. Ironically, this sandwich was invented during Prohibition for hungry late-night guests after a night of drinking and dancing.

The iconic Brown Hotel, now listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, is the birthplace of the Hot Brown. In 1926, the hotel was hopping nightly with over 1,200 guests who came out to dance to a live band, most likely drinking as they did so. The crowd then went to enjoy a late-night supper. The typical fare was ham and eggs, but one night, head chef Fred Schmidt invented a new offering for the gaggle of guests: an open-faced sandwich layered with sliced turkey, tomatoes, bacon, and cheesy Mornay sauce (similar yet different from béchamel) on a bed of Texas toast. Some accounts refer to the Hot Brown as a hangover meal, intended to help guests recover from their dancing and imbibing — a real underdog story for a time when the sale of alcohol was outlawed.

The Hot Brown has become a famous staple of Louisville cuisine. To this day, the Brown Hotel still serves the sandwich in mass quantities, filling hundreds of Hot Brown orders each week and even more during the Kentucky Derby. The hotel has also become a pilgrimage site for food enthusiasts who want to try the dish at the place where it was invented. 

While the famed hotel is the epicenter for getting a genuine Hot Brown, the sandwich is served at countless other Louisville restaurants with different twists and variations, as well. Some spots offer a breakfast rendition of the dish, topped with a fried egg and using buttermilk biscuits instead of Texas toast or smoked ham instead of turkey; others whip up seafood, prime rib, veggie, and pizza-based versions of the Hot Brown.

Even the Brown Hotel offers some spinoff versions of its signature dish, such as Hot Brown pasta and fries and a vegetarian Brown. But serving up the iconic meal in its purest form is the inn's pride and joy.