Hector Boiardi, a teenage head chef at the Plaza Hotel, invented the first ready-to-cook pasta kits when diners wanted to recreate his dishes at home. The U.S. military adopted his canned pasta as a field ration during World War II, and he received the Gold Star for sustaining the American war effort.
The US won World War II all because of Chef Boyardee. Well, how? You see, it all starts with this guy, Hector Boyardee. I am Chef Boyardee. By age 17, he's the head chef for one of New York's most prestigious hotels, the Plaza. That's the same year President Woodrow Wilson is getting married. And who caters the wedding? A young Chef Boyardee. And a decade later, Hector opens his own restaurant featuring his signature Italian-style food. And it is a massive hit. Critics raving and the restaurant is packed day after day. But customers still can't get enough. They want to cook his delicious food at home. So Boyardee creates creates the OG Blue Apron, packaging pre-made sauce, grated cheese, and uncooked spaghetti. Great entrepreneurs experiment all the time, trying to learn what people want. But surprising even him, the sales of the pre-made kits surpass the sales of the restaurant. He goes all in, moving his production to a factory to meet demands. And when World War II hits, the US is looking for a viable packaged food source, and they elect Chef Boyardee. That canned food is suddenly now feeding the troops and everyone around the United States. He gets awarded a Gold Star, the highest honor a civilian can receive.
