Before his name was on cake boxes, Duncan Hines was a traveling salesman with a taste for adventure—and good food. Born in 1880, he crisscrossed the country, dining at local spots and jotting down reviews long before Yelp existed.

In 1935, he published Adventures in Good Eating, a guide to the best roadside restaurants in America. It became a go-to for hungry travelers looking to avoid bad meals.

His reputation for quality led to a partnership in the 1950s that launched Duncan Hines cake mixes. He may not have been a baker, but his name became dessert royalty.