You would expect that a man nicknamed The King would eat king-sized meals, it’s only natural. As far as Elvis Presley was concerned, meals were something to be greatly enjoyed. One meal we know he took seriously was breakfast, but then again, so do many of us.
Fortunately for Elvis, he had the means to make his breakfast dreams a reality. His staff at Graceland included accomplished cooks who made sure The King was well-fed.
Nancy Rooks and Mary Jenkins Langston were two of the Presley family’s longtime cooks. They have described in detail how Elvis liked his breakfasts. The breakfast website Extra Crispy recently reported on these details in honor of the anniversary of his passing.
According to Rooks, Elvis enjoyed fruits like diced honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon, which he often ate in bed. She has published multiple books of his favorite recipes.
Langston, however, described his breakfasts as a much more indulgent and less healthy endeavor. In a 2000 obituary published in the New York Times, she stated that this meal included "homemade biscuits fried in butter, sausage patties, four scrambled eggs, and sometimes fried bacon." She went on to say that, “I'd bring the tray up to his room, he'd say, 'This is good, Mary.' He'd have butter running down his arms.”
Based on his breakfast habits, Elvis certainly seemed like a true foodie. The King-sized meals he consumed were a part of his endearing persona, so much so that biographer James Gregory wrote this in his 1960 book titled, The Elvis Presley Story:
“Note for his future wife: Elvis loves enormous breakfasts complete with sausage, bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, home-baked rolls, and coffee. He has a tremendous appetite at breakfast.”
For one of the greatest artists and performers in American history, it appears that breakfast was a meal that he couldn’t help falling in love with.