Creator
William Randolph Hearst
Title
William Randolph Hearst Residence - Menu
Coverage
San Simeon, California
Date
April 18, 1940
Description
Newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst entertained a steady stream of celebrities from stage, screen, and politics at his estate, “La Cuesta Encantada,” or "The Enchanted Hill." Hearst referred to his palatial residence as the “ranch.” The sentiment was reflected in the casual flatware, paper napkins, Heinz ketchup bottles, and jars of French’s mustard that were placed on the table at meals. Even at dinner, which was served in a medieval-style refectory festooned with Flemish Gothic tapestries and paneled with 15th-century Spanish choir stalls, the ranch-style cuisine was deliberately straightforward, reminiscent of the picnics Hearst once enjoyed on the surrounding countryside.