Serving Central Illinois great Italian food since 1966
Albert Zeller
Avanti’s is the brainchild of a dynamic young man who verifies the idiom that America is indeed, the land of opportunity.
Born in the village of St. Galen, Switzerland, Albert grew up with eight brothers and sisters learning the art of cheese making and the processing of other dairy products. A trade, which proved helpful when he arrived in the United States in 1959.
Albert settled in the small town of Walnut, Illinois and although his command of the English language was sparse, and his money even more so, the energetic youngster put his knowledge of the cheese making business to work to sustain him.
His career was interrupted briefly with a two-year hitch in the Army. But, while he was there he began to develop new ideas that would send him on his way when he returned to civilian life.
The “old world charm” of cheese making had its moments, but cheese is cheese and in 1964 a corporation was started as a new outlet for cheese. The manufacturing of frozen pizzas. As manager and part owner of Gino’s Pizza and with only 2 employees, the small company produced 200 pizzas a day. In fifteen months of hard work and solid sales promotion, those figures rose to 20 employees and 5,000 pizzas a day.
The momentum didn’t stop there. Natural interests followed suit and Albert recognized the need for yet another venture. This time the restaurant business. In 1966, Albert purchased Lardano’s Italian restaurant on Main Street in Peoria, adjacent to Bradley University. Soon after, the name was changed to Avanti’s, which means forward in Italian.
By now a keen feeling for all phases of food preparation was clearly evident. Being the pioneer that he is, he forged ahead with yet another restaurant. This time Avanti’s II took shape and opened its doors in Normal, Illinois in 1971 with his brother Guido. Today, Avanti’s employs more than 300 individuals with restaurants on Rockwood Road in Peoria (1979) and East Peoria (1985). The original Avanti’s on Main Street had to give way to street widening and in 1989 moved to its present location at Main and University.
He is an active member in the community and makes numerous contributions to schools, churches and civic organizations and has served on a variety of boards throughout the community.
Albert married Edith Hollenstein , a native of Switzerland in 1968. Albert and his wife live in Peoria and still travel to Switzerland to visit family and friends. They have four children, two sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Stefan, works in the family business.
Serving Central Illinois great Italian food since 1966
