Elvis Presley Had the Same Personal Chef for Years
Elvis Presley changed the face of rock and roll. He was probably the biggest musical artist of his time, earning his nickname of “The King.” He had legions of fans across the nation and world. Presley made a fortune due to his superstardom, and thanks to that he was able to afford many of the finer things in life. One of those things included his own personal chef.
So who was Presley’s personal chef, and what kind of eating habits did he have? Let’s take a closer look at this part of Presley’s life.
A notoriously a picky eater
Presley made a lot of money over the course of his career, and as he did his desire for excess swelled. Nowhere was this more apparent than with the foods he ate. According to Business Insider, Presley had a rather bizarre diet. He enjoyed rich, fried foods that he first experienced during his upbringing in the American South.
One of Presley’s most famous preferences was his love of peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches. The bread would be fried in butter for a very calorie-dense meal.
The sandwich received so much attention that it now appears on the menus of restaurants throughout the country as a tribute to the man himself.
Who was Elvis Presley’s personal chef?
A man with specific tastes like Presley couldn’t leave his food intake up to himself. Presley was rich and powerful and therefore had the means to employ a personal chef. According to a BBC Four documentary, Presley’s personal chef was named Mary Jenkins Langston.
Langston was one of Presley’s most trusted staff members. She said he was a sweet person, and that Presley bought her a house. She said that the day before he died, she last saw him at around two in the morning asking if he needed anything. Langston also said that Presley once asked if he could stay with her at house rather than at Graceland, his famous residence.
What did Elvis Presley’s personal chef have to say about his eating habits?
Langston had plenty of experience making Presley’s favorite peanut butter and banana sandwich. She reported that Presley would often ask her to make the sandwich until it was prepared just the way he liked it.
“If he wanted them in the morning when he woke up, I would have to fix ’em. If he wanted them at two o’clock in the morning, I would have to still fix them for him. Whenever he get a taste for them, he’d call down, and that’s what he wanted…he wanted them real rich.”
Langston also reported that Presley said the only thing he got enjoyment out of was eating. She said that one time, Presley was on a strict diet. That’s when he came to Langston for assistance. He asked her to slip him “hot dogs with kraut on them.” She did as he asked, and Presley enjoyed the hot dogs.
Presley was larger than life, and his diet reflected that. As outlandish as his dietary habits were, he’d need someone to help indulge them. That’s where Langston came in. She was a chef for Presley, but so much more. She was equal parts cook, confidant, and friend to the King.
