Ettore Boiardi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ettore Boiardi
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Ettore Boiardi as shown in a 1953 television commercial
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| Born | October 22, 1897 |
| Died | June 21, 1985 (aged 87) Parma, Ohio, U.S.
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| Resting place | All Souls Cemetery, Chardon, Ohio, U.S. |
| Nationality | Italian American |
| Occupation | Chef |
| Known for | Chef Boyardee foods, head chef of Plaza hotel |
| Spouse(s) |
Helen J. Boiardi
(m. 1921) |
| Children | 1 |
Ettore Boiardi (born October 22, 1897 – died June 21, 1985) was an Italian-American chef. He became very famous for his brand of food products, which you probably know as Chef Boyardee. His name was changed to "Hector Boyardee" to make it easier for people to say.
Contents
Early Life and Journey to America
Ettore Boiardi was born in Piacenza, Italy, in 1897. When he was just 11 years old, he started working in a restaurant kitchen. He did simple jobs like peeling potatoes and helping with cleaning. Later, he learned more about cooking in big cities like Paris and London.
When he was 16, Ettore traveled to America. He arrived at Ellis Island in New York on May 9, 1914, ready for a new adventure.
Becoming a Famous Chef
Ettore Boiardi joined his brother Paolo in the kitchen of the famous Plaza Hotel in New York City. He worked very hard and eventually became the head chef! He even helped prepare a special meal for 2,000 soldiers returning home after World War I, which was served at the White House.
Opening His Own Restaurant
In 1924, Ettore decided to open his own restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio. He called it Il Giardino d'Italia, which means "The Garden of Italy." People loved his food, especially his delicious spaghetti sauce. Customers often asked for extra sauce to take home or even for his recipe. So, Ettore started filling clean milk bottles with his sauce for them to buy.
From Restaurant to Canned Food
In 1927, Ettore met Maurice and Eva Weiner, who owned a grocery store. They saw how popular his sauce was and helped him figure out how to put his food into cans. This meant his food could be sold in many more places! Soon, his company opened a factory in 1928 to keep up with the demand.
Besides sauce, they also started selling a complete pasta meal. It came with a box of spaghetti, a jar of sauce, and even a small can of Parmesan cheese. The company became the biggest importer of Italian Parmesan cheese and used tons of olive oil. Ettore wanted to show everyone that his spaghetti products were a tasty and affordable meal for the whole family.
The Chef Boy-Ar-Dee Name
In 1938, the company moved its production to Milton, Pennsylvania. This area was perfect because they could grow enough tomatoes for the factory. At its busiest, the factory used 20,000 tons of tomatoes each season!
Ettore Boiardi realized that many people outside of Italy found his last name, Boiardi, hard to say. Even his own sales team had trouble! So, he decided to change the brand name to "Chef Boy-Ar-Dee" to make it easier for everyone to pronounce and remember.
Helping During World War II
During World War II, Chef Boy-Ar-Dee played an important role. The company made food rations to help feed the Allied troops. For his efforts in supporting the war, Ettore Boiardi received a special award called a Gold Star order of excellence from the U.S. War Department.
Later, Ettore sold his company to American Home Foods (which later became International Home Foods). He continued to appear in commercials for his brand until 1979. He kept working on new Italian food products until he passed away in 1985.
Family and Legacy
Ettore Boiardi was the great-uncle of American author Anna Boiardi, who wrote a book about her family's food memories.
Ettore Boiardi passed away on June 21, 1985, at the age of 87. He is buried at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon Township, Ohio.
Today, ConAgra Foods owns the Chef Boyardee brand. You can still see Ettore Boiardi's picture on the products, and the food is still made in Milton, Pennsylvania!
