4 Types Of Food John Wayne Loved To Eat

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John Wayne, Hollywood's quintessential cowboy, had an appetite that matched his larger-than-life persona. He was happiest eating and drinking surrounded by good company. Charred grilled steaks (which he loved eating at a steakhouse called Gulliver's in Orange County) and red meats were his go-tos, along with Tex-Mex and Southern classics like cheese and chile casserole. His love for fishing and outdoor activities also extended to grilling a fresh catch. And while some may not have expected the rugged on-screen cowboy to have a sweet tooth, he enjoyed candy as well.

Like the drinks Wayne most enjoyed sipping, some of his best-loved foods became so as a result of the actor's frequent trips to Mexico. His favorite comfort dishes were as easily approachable as the big man himself. "My dad was a steak-and-potatoes man ... But he also ate fish, pork, and chicken," his son Ethan Wayne told Cowboys & Indians magazine in 2015. Over the years, several culinary creations have come to be associated with the "John Wayne" name. While the legendary actor may not have tried all of them, the number and variety of recipes — not to mention official cookbooks — he inspired is a testament to just how much the Duke savored his food and drink.

John Wayne's fondness for steak is linked to his humble beginnings. In the opening pages of "The Official John Wayne Way to Grill," the actor's son, Ethan Wayne, notes that his father was unable to afford steak before his rise to stardom. A good slab of meat never lost its novelty, even after fame and fortune found the Duke. "My father would have eaten steak and potatoes at every meal," Ethan wrote. Wayne's daughter Marissa echoed Ethan in Cowboys & Indians magazine, saying, "He loved a delicious grilled steak!" Wayne was also partial to roast beef, salami, baloney, bacon, and red meats in general.

As someone who loved surrounding himself with good company, Wayne's preferred cooking method was grilling. He'd often man the flames himself on his home's indoor grill and preferred his steaks charred medium. When away filming, he often ended his workdays with the cast and crew around a grill. Even on his boat, Wayne and all those accompanying him, including those manning the vessel, ate well. One former crew member, who claimed to put on weight whenever he sailed with the superstar, revealed to Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society in 2026 that the steaks on Wayne's boat were very high quality, costing about $30 per pound — a far cry from the early days when Wayne couldn't afford cuts for himself.

Some of the Duke's favorite dishes were inspired by Mexican cuisine, which is hardly surprising considering how much time he spent south of the border shooting films like "The War Wagon," "Big Jake," "Cahill U.S. Marshal," and many more. One recipe he adored was a chile and cheese casserole. While multiple iterations exist, the dish generally consists of fluffy eggs loaded with cheese and chiles, and it has since become known as the John Wayne casserole.

Per his wife Pilar Wayne (via "Pilar Wayne's Favorite and Fabulous Recipes"), the Duke enjoyed this dish so much that he brought the recipe with him whenever he traveled. In her cookbook, in which she lovingly refers to the dish as "Duke's Soufflé," she reveals that he would occasionally call her from halfway across the world with questions about the recipe. In "The Official John Wayne Way to Grill," the same dish is titled "Pilar's Soufflé" and reveals how the superstar enjoyed making it for others while filming on location.

A similar dish not as widely associated with the Duke (but also a favorite, according to his wife) is hominy grits soufflé, made using the creamy Southern staple and lots of cheese. Other well-loved Tex-Mex recipes she made for him include chili and corn chowder.

One of John Wayne's favorite ways to get away was aboard his yacht, the Wild Goose, which he sailed around California and even further to Mexico, Alaska, and British Columbia. The boat had a large storage area for seafood, and thanks the Duke's love for good cuisine, it was well-stocked.

While he often fished during these sailing trips, the sociable superstar was also known to trade with fishermen he met on his travels. In a video tour of the Wild Goose available on YouTube, his son Ethan Wayne recalls trading T-shirts with locals in Cabo, Mexico for fresh lobster. The Duke's love for barbecuing also extended to the sea. "When we would vacation in British Columbia, I remember him grilling not only steaks but salmon and crab as well," his daughter Marissa Wayne told Cowboys & Indians.

The Duke was also known to catch swordfish. "The Official John Wayne Way to Grill" contains a recipe for swordfish steaks. Wayne was occasionally prone to antics befitting a wealthy, world-famous actor, like when he ordered nearly $900 worth of caviar — an eye-watering sum in 1976 — to snack on with his tequila. He also, perhaps unknowingly, lent his name to a seafood dish. In her 2016 cookbook "Recipes for Life: My Memories," TV star Linda Evans includes John Wayne's crab dip.

The sight of John Wayne's imposing, 6-foot-3-inch frame eating small, brightly colored pieces of candy may seem uncharacteristic, but it's one many were privy to. According to multiple accounts by those close to him, Hollywood's quintessential cowboy loved candy, and Abba Zaba — a peanut butter-filled taffy bar — was his favorite. He also enjoyed Tootsie Rolls and licorice.

In her 1998 book "John Wayne: My Father," Aissa Wayne recollects how her father would buy enormous quantities of his favorite candies to hand out on Halloween and end up eating a good chunk of them himself. "In the weeks before Christmas," she writes, "I'd catch him sneaking them from a stack of candy stashed in his trophy room cabinet."

Another kind of sweet treat the cinema icon favored was Gowell's Homemade Candy. A news clipping from 1988 (via Facebook) describes how dark chocolate bark from the family-run candy company in Brockton, Massachusetts ended up in Wayne's hands. During his recovery from open-heart surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1978, a patient in the adjoining room gave out a few pieces. The Hollywood star took an instant shine to the treat, and soon enough, dozens of boxes of Gowell's chocolate bark were sent to the hospital. The candy makers even continued sending cases of Wayne's favorite chocolate to California once he returned home.