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Harland David "Colonel" Sanders (1890)close

Harland Sanders, better known as "Colonel Sanders", the creator of Kentucky Fried Chicken, was 40 before he began to develop his recipe for chicken. He began cooking for hungry travelers who stopped at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky. He served his customers at his own dining table in the living quarters of his service station.

As word spread of Sanders' good food, business expanded rapidly and by 1937, his cafe could seat nearly 150 customers. Over the next nine years, he perfected his "secret blend of 11 herbs and spices" and experimented with faster ways to cook chicken.

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