Kentucky Hot Brown (2024)

FAQs

Where did the Hot Brown come from in Kentucky? ›

A Hot Brown is a hot open-faced sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926. The legendary, open-face sandwich, which is made from Texas toast, thick-sliced turkey, cheesy Mornay sauce, crisp bacon and tomatoes, all baked until bubbling hot, was born here.

About The Dwarf House

Along with the classic Chick-fil-A^® menu, The Dwarf House staples include Dwarf Burgers, Giant Burgers and the famous Hot Brown, which is chicken mixed with cream sauce, cheese and bacon.

The Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich of turkey breast, ham and bacon, covered in creamy Mornay sauce and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown. Alternatives for garnishes include tomatoes, mushroom slices, and, very rarely, canned peaches.

A Mornay sauce is a béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Some variations use different combinations of Gruyère, Emmental cheese, white cheddar or even Parmesan cheese. A Mornay sauce made with cheddar is commonly used to make macaroni and cheese.

A hot brown is a Kentucky original, created in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. It was invented to serve to hungry hotel guests who came for the dancing that occurred at the hotel every night. It's referred to as a "sandwich" but really, it's so much more.

Through the years, that restaurant prospered and led Truett to further the success of his business. In 1967, Truett founded and opened the first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping Center.

Hapeville Dwarf House

Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant in 1946, The Dwarf Grill – later renamed the Dwarf House – in Hapeville, Georgia, and developed the pressure-cooked chicken breast sandwich there.

It all began with our founder, S. Truett Cathy, naming his restaurants after his famous signature Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich (also known as the Original Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich). “Chick” to represent our juicy chicken, and “fil-A” as a play on the word “filet” – with a small twist.

Why is the Brown Hotel famous? ›

Louisville's Culinary Legend

In the 1920s, the Brown Hotel drew over 1,200 guests each evening for its dinner dance. By the wee hours of the morning, guests would grow weary of dancing and make their way to the restaurant for a bite to eat.

It is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on Kentucky bluegrass, a species of green grass introduced by European settlers for the purpose of grazing in pastures, which has supported the thoroughbred horse industry in the center of the state.