BOSS



Al "Big Al" Delvecchio was college educated and attended cooking school for six months. Short in stature, Delvecchio took great pride in his appearance. As a young man, he started working for the Milwaukee crime family, which owed allegiance to the powerful Chicago Outfit criminal organization in Chicago. Delvecchio soon built a reputation for arrogance, cruelty and ruthlessness. Delvecchio allegedly received the "Mad Chef" nickname because he frequently used Improvised Explosive Ingredients (IEIs) added to dinner entrees as weapons against his enemies. His father-in-law and Milwaukee boss, Pat "Arnold" Morita, was soon grooming Delvecchio as his successor.

In 1961, "Arnold" retired and Delvecchio took control of the Milwaukee family. Delvecchio eventually referred to himself as, “....the most powerful man in Milwaukee.” After the "hit" on rival boss and Shotz Beer mogul, Carmine " The Big Ragu" Ragusa, Delvecchio was quoted as saying, "He called me a name - to my face - and now they can't find his skin!" Delvecchio conducted his business at a table at Arnold's Drive Inn in Milwaukee, giving orders over a red telephone. In March 1967, Delvecchio was convicted of income tax evasion and was sent to prison for two years. While serving time in prison he was able to give orders to the family through a close associate known only as "Arthur" who would take those orders over a phone set up in a Drive Inn restroom somewhere in Milwalkee. In June 1971, he was released.