Chef Boyardee, also known as Hector Boiardi, shared Italian cuisine in America.
From his roots at the Plaza Hotel in NYC, he ventured to Cleveland, Ohio, opening Il Giardino d’Italia in 1924. His journey led to milk bottles filled with spaghetti sauce, a factory in Pennsylvania, and an “Anglicized” name, Boy-Ar-Dee. He introduced the “ready-to-heat spaghetti kit” in 1928.
During WWII, his company served the U.S. military, producing rations around the clock. Post-war, he faced a tough choice, selling to American Home Foods for $6 million in 1946. He continued as a brand spokesperson until 1978.
Today, ConAgra Foods carries on his legacy with Chef Boyardee canned pastas.
