Ettore Boiardi

 

Ettore Boiardi (October 22, 1897 – June 21, 1985), better known by the Anglicized name Hector Boyardee, was an Italian-American chef, famous for his eponymous brand of food products, named Chef Boyardee.

Boiardi was born in Piacenza, Italy, in 1897, to Giuseppe and Maria Maffi Boiardi. Already at the age of 11, he was working as an apprentice chef at the local "La Croce Bianca" restaurant, although his duties were confined to non-cooking odd jobs such as potato peeling and dealing with the trash.^[1] He later learned more restaurant skills as an immigrant in Paris and London.^[1] On May 9, 1914, at the age of 16, he arrived at Ellis Island aboard La Lorraine, a ship of French registration.