During his youth, George Crum (1824–1914), born George Speck in Saratoga Lake, N.Y., worked as a guide in the Adirondack Mountains and as an Indian trader. Over time, he began to realize his passion for cooking and focused on working as a chef. The restaurant and the success of his snack dish were a part of his dream; he had created a luxury. | By Tamara Shiloh Cornelius Vanderbilt, a steamship owner, sat in the dining room of Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., a high-end restaurant that catered to wealthy Manhattan families. It was the summer of 1853 and working in the kitchen was George Crum (1824–1914), the establishment’s cook. The meal being prepared was likely woodcock