The Original Chef Boyardee Spaghetti Dinner

This paragraph introduces the journey of recreating the authentic recipe of Chef Boiardi's spaghetti a la Boiardi, sponsored by Squarespace. The narrator, having grown up on canned Chef Boyardee pasta, now explores the true origins of the brand, starting with Chef Hector Boiardi, the man behind the brand. Boiardi was a renowned chef in Cleveland, Ohio, who initially served his spaghetti dinners before venturing into canned pasta. The narrator references Boiardi's cookbook from the 1930s, 'Famous Italian Dishes,' which includes a recipe for spaghetti a la Boiardi but suggests using a family recipe for tomato sauce due to the unavailability of the original sauce. The paragraph sets the stage for a culinary exploration into the past, with a list of ingredients needed to make the sauce, highlighting the absence of garlic, a characteristic of Northern Italian cuisine where Boiardi was born.

This section delves into the life of Ettore Boiardi, known as Chef Boyardee, from his childhood in Italy to his arrival in America. Born in Borgonovo, Italy, Boiardi began working in restaurants at a young age and eventually moved to Paris and London before immigrating to the United States. The paragraph addresses various myths about Boiardi's early career, such as becoming the head chef at The Plaza Hotel in New York City at the age of 17, which is unverified. It also dispels the story of Boiardi catering President Woodrow Wilson's wedding, which never took place at the Greenbrier Resort as claimed. The narrator acknowledges the difficulty in confirming these early life events due to inconsistent accounts and a lack of records, leaving much of Boiardi's history shrouded in mystery.

The paragraph narrates the rise of Chef Boiardi's fame and the establishment of his brand. After working at The Plaza and other establishments, Boiardi moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became the head chef at the Hotel Winton. In 1924, he and his wife Helen opened their own restaurant, Il Giardino d'Italia, which quickly gained popularity for its Italian cuisine. The demand for Boiardi's spaghetti with meat sauce was so high that he began selling it in milk bottles to customers who wanted to take extra portions home. This led to the formation of the Chef Boyardee Food Company in 1928 with the help of his brother Mario. They produced and sold sauces, dried spaghetti, and grated Parmesan cheese, creating a quick and affordable meal option that became popular during the Great Depression. The brand's success led to the expansion of their factory in Pennsylvania and their contribution to World War II efforts by producing military rations.

This final paragraph discusses the evolution of Chef Boyardee's brand and its impact on American cuisine. After the war, instead of laying off employees, the Boiardi brothers sold the company to American Home Products Corp, ensuring job security for their workers. Chef Boiardi remained as a consultant and the face of the brand, even appearing in a 1953 television advertisement. The brand expanded to include various Italian meals, with Beefaroni being a notable addition. Despite changes in ownership and recipe alterations over the years, the original spaghetti dinner recipe is recreated in this paragraph, emphasizing its simplicity and rich flavor. The narrator shares a personal connection to the meal and encourages viewers to try making it at home, promoting the Tasting History website for the recipe and showcasing the ease of building a website with Squarespace.