Remembering 'The Lasagna Guy,' Creator of the Internet's #1 Lasagna Recipe

John Chandler was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was a doting father, a loving husband, a caring friend, and a gifted salesman. But you might know him as the inventor of the World's Best Lasagna.

That title isn't hyperbole: One of our top-performing recipes of all time, it racks up more than 7 million views per year. It has ranked among the most popular lasagna recipes on the internet for two decades.

At the time of publishing, it's the highest ranking and most reviewed lasagna recipe on the entire internet.

John took great pride in his recipe's success — he even legally trademarked the phrase "world's best lasagna" in 2014, a year after he appeared on Good Morning America to showcase the famous dish. He especially enjoyed reading the glowing reviews, and was thrilled when Allrecipes community members shared how they tweak the recipe to make it their own.

"It's not just my lasagna," John said on GMA in 2013. "Everyone has shared in it."

What he loved more than the accolades and recognition, though, was making his creation for friends and family. He made it so often and for so many people, neighbors and coworkers say he was known as "the lasagna guy."

That's why it's no surprise that John's community was quick to rally around his family when he unexpectedly died in June at just 53 years old, leaving behind a wife and two teenage sons.

"Everybody has been wonderful, bringing meals and offering support," says his widow, Evan Chandler. "Thank God we have that, because it's been a lot. I still say to myself, 'Is this my life? Did this really happen?' But it did."

Evan, a stay-at-home mom, has spent the months following her husband's death scrambling to maintain a sense of normalcy for her children. Her oldest, Jackson, is a senior in high school this year. Her youngest, Ryan, is a freshman.

John was actively involved in his kids' lives, chaperoning field trips and serving on the PTA. His sons meant the world to him, according to friend and neighbor Vanessa Cooper.

"It was refreshing to see a dad who works quite a bit and travels regularly and still takes pleasure in being that involved with his kids' lives," she says.

Cooper created a GoFundMe to support Evan and the boys after their monumental loss: "We can't imagine that kind of stuff happening to any of us, so we definitely don't want her to feel like she's alone. You usually get a lot of help in the beginning and then things start trickling off, so we're trying to keep it going."

John was also engaged in his Frisco, Texas neighborhood, where he participated in the Homeowners' Association.

Another neighbor, Marcus Henderson, spoke to John's love for sharing meals with friends and family: "Every Saturday morning he would be making his kids pancakes or taking them out. It was all around food. That was just their bonding time together."

John's coworker, Phil Webb, says the lasagna was frequently served at meetings and luncheons — but the impact he made on everyone he encountered was far greater than any recipe.

"He was always full of life," according to Webb. "He was always energetic, go-getting, and doing as much as he could. He was the type of person that would pull you in and you felt like part of whatever was going on. When he passed, it pulled the energy out of our group."

Multiple friends and family members say they've never actually made the famous lasagna recipe (why would they? John always made it for them), but they plan to keep his memory alive by cooking the dish together on special occasions.

"He was just really proud of that recipe and he loved to make it," Evan says. "And I loved that he loved to make it. He's definitely going to be sorely missed by myself and my kids and all of the community."

Editor's note:

As one of the most popular lasagna recipes on the internet, John's lasagna is a tradition in countless homes across the world. If you've ever enjoyed the recipe (or plan to enjoy the recipe), consider donating to this GoFundMe.