Made operatic debut in Rigoletto in Brussels, is forever associated with London, allegedly and unwittingly gave her name to something to eat at the Savoy Hotel, changed her birth name (Helen Mitchell)to something else based on the major city adjavcent to where she was born.

Quick off the mark and, yes, a pefect answer as usual! Dame Nellie Melba it is!

quote:

Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
allegedly and unwittingly gave her name to something to eat at the Savoy Hotel

Do you mean peach melba, allegedly created when she asked for something as a pudding late one night on finishing at Covent Garden but the chef could only find stewed peaches and ice cream so he put them together and presented the dish to her 'in her honour' ?

Or do you mean melba toast which is said to have been the chef's teasing ? Nellie Melba was built in the traditional size for singers in those days She did make some half-hearted attempt at dieting. When she came in to the Savoy the chef had toast cut extra thin for her, as a joke.

In both instances the chef must have been the great Auguste Escoffier. The greatest and most famous chef of his day, he could be mischievous like that without giving offence.