Chef Boyardee

Chef Boyardee logo

This article is about the canned pasta product line. For its founder, see Ettore Boiardi.

Chef Boyardee is a brand of canned pasta products sold internationally by ConAgra Foods. Named after its founder, Italian-American immigrant Ettore Boiardi, the company began production in the United States in the 1920s. Along with its canned products, Chef Boyardee also markets boxed pizza and lasagna mixes.^[1]

History

In 1924, Boiardi opened the Giardino d'Italia restaurant^[2] at East 9th Street and Woodland Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.^[3] The idea for Chef Boyardee came about when restaurant customers began asking Boiardi for his recipe and his ingredients.^[2] He opened a factory in 1928, moving production to Milton, Pennsylvania ten years later.^{[citation needed]} He decided to name his product "Boy-Ar-Dee" to help Americans pronounce his name.^[2]

Two Chef Boyardee Mini Bites canned pasta products

In 1946 the company was sold to American Home Products. The brand was distributed for use by United States armed forces. American Home Products turned its food division into International Home Foods in 1996. Four years later, International Home Foods was purchased by ConAgra Foods, which continues to produce Chef Boyardee canned pastas bearing Ettore Boiardi's likeness.

References

1. ^ Pizza Kits: Kids Pizza Kits to Make Your Own Pizza. Chef Boyardee. Retrieved on 2011-07-31.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Abraham, Lisa (31 October 2011). "Your favorite food icons: Fact or fiction?". The Telegraph. Macon. http://www.macon.com/2011/10/31/1766691/your-favorite-food-icons-fact.html. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
3. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}

External links

• Official site
• Hector Boiardi (Encyclopedia of Cleveland History)
• Gallery of classic graphic design featuring Chef Boyardee