(Alessandria 1882 - London 1948)

Italian by birth and culture, Angelo Firpo traveled from Genoa to London and then Calcutta, bringing with him the flavor of Italy in every city. Called the Maxim's of the Orient, his patrons were the elite of Europe and India. He opened several famous restaurants, a tea room that was the favorite spot for high society, a renowned pastry shop, and a popular catering service that delighted Lord Irwin, the Viceroy and Governor of India, several maharajas, the King and Queen of Nepal, the Aga Khan, Nehru, Khrushchev, actress Merle Oberon and the boxer Primo Carnera, among others. His refined cuisine made him famous worldwide. Angelo Firpo received many prestigious awards and was mentioned in many international newspapers and magazines. His name also appears in several best-sellers, including City of Joy and Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre, Secret Tibet and Pilgrim in Asia by Fosco Maraini, and Prisoner's Bluff by Rolf Magener.
Between 1917 and 1960, A. Firpo Ltd in Calcutta employed more than 500 people. It has a turnover of one billion liras at the time and produced bread for the entire Bengal region.
Angelo Firpo became a British citizen and received the O.B.E. (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from George VI, King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, for his long and honorable entrepreneurial career .
He was an art collector, a patron of the arts and a philanthropist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire