Peter Boizot was born in the Walton area of Peterborough on 16 November 1929, the son of Gaston Boizot, an insurance inspector of French origin, and Susannah Culshaw, a housewife. He would grow up to transform British dining habits, found one of the nation's most recognisable restaurant chains, and invest millions of pounds back into the city of his birth.
Early Years in Peterborough
Boizot's Peterborough roots ran deep. He attended The King's School in the city, where he became head boy and sang in the choir of Peterborough Cathedral. It was during these formative years that his connection to the city was established; connections he would maintain and strengthen throughout his life.
At the age of 18, his headmaster selected him to teach English to a family in Florence, Italy. There, in 1948, Boizot ate his first pizza. He later remarked that the experience "changed my life". This single meal would eventually lead to a business empire that revolutionised casual dining in Britain.
After completing national service as a second lieutenant in Egypt, Boizot graduated with an Honours Degree in History from St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1953. He would later receive an honorary degree from Loughborough University in 2000, specifically recognising his "successful business acumen and career, and contributions to Peterborough".
The Birth of PizzaExpress
In 1965, after a decade working in Europe, Boizot noticed the absence of authentic pizza in London. He borrowed £100 to buy premises at 29 Wardour Street in Soho, taking on £14,000 of debts, and imported a pizza oven from Naples for £600. The first PizzaExpress opened in July 1965.
The first day's takings amounted to just £3. Pizza was sold by the slice at two shillings (10p). A second restaurant opened in Coptic Street, near the British Museum, in 1967.
Boizot's innovation extended beyond the menu. He pioneered the open kitchen concept, imported Peroni beer to the UK for the first time, and commissioned pop artists including Sir Peter Blake and Eduardo Paolozzi to decorate his restaurants. In 1969, he opened the PizzaExpress Jazz Club in Dean Street, Soho, and founded the Soho Jazz Festival in 1986.
The Veneziana pizza, launched in 1977, demonstrated Boizot's commitment to philanthropy through business. Five pence from each sale, later increased to 25p, was donated to the Venice in Peril Fund. The initiative has raised more than £2 million to date and earned Boizot both an MBE in 1986 and a knighthood from the Italian Republic in 1996.
PizzaExpress was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1993. Boizot sold the company in 1996 for an estimated £40 million, though he remained president. By 2018, the chain had grown to more than 500 restaurants worldwide.
Mr Peterborough
Boizot became known locally as "Mr Peterborough" for his substantial investments in the city. In 1993, he purchased and modernised the Great Northern Hotel, a favourite local haunt where he would later live for a time. In 1996, he acquired the former Odeon cinema building and transformed it into a multi-purpose entertainment venue with theatre, concert and conference facilities.
His commitment to Peterborough extended to sport. In 1997, he bought Peterborough United Football Club, investing more than £7.5 million to save it from financial difficulties. He owned and chaired the club until 2007.
In 2001, Boizot realised the Broadway entertainment complex, which included a cinema and art gallery, spending more than £9 million on the development. He donated £100,000 to Peterborough Cathedral Choir, in which he had sung as a boy.
Beyond Business
Boizot's interests were wide-ranging. He was an art collector who sold the majority of his collection near Peterborough in 2011, raising more than £70,000. He owned several London venues including Kettner's in Soho, which he bought in 1980 and sold in 2002 for £2.5 million. He published a privately distributed glossy magazine called "Boz" covering Soho, Peterborough, art, jazz, hockey and food.
A lifelong Liberal Party supporter, Boizot stood as the Liberal candidate for Peterborough in both the February and October 1974 general elections, finishing third on each occasion. He served as chairman of the Westminster Chamber of Commerce from 1992 to 1995 and was honorary vice-president of the Hockey Association from 1990.
Boizot published his autobiography, "Mr Pizza and All That Jazz", in 2014, co-written with journalist Matthew Reville. He also wrote the PizzaExpress Cookbook in 1976.
Legacy
Peter Boizot died in Peterborough on 5 December 2018, aged 89, and was buried in the city. His legacy extends far beyond the restaurant chain he founded. The Peter Boizot Sports Ground on Grantchester Road in Cambridge, an artificial turf hockey ground, bears his name.
Boizot's impact on British dining was transformative. PizzaExpress pioneered the casual dining sector, offering fashionable surroundings and authentic food at accessible prices. This model paved the way for the proliferation of pizza and Italian restaurants across Britain.
For Peterborough, Boizot remained the local boy who made good and gave back. His investments in the Great Northern Hotel, the Odeon entertainment venue, Peterborough United Football Club, and the Broadway complex reshaped the city's leisure and cultural landscape. His £100,000 donation to the Cathedral choir where he had sung as a boy demonstrated a lifelong connection to his roots.
A vegetarian since the age of five, Boizot nevertheless built an empire on Italian cuisine. His personal favourite was a simple quattro formaggi with basil and green peppers; uncomplicated, quality food that reflected his business philosophy.