Ernesto Illy was an Italian food chemist and businessman, known as the chairman of the Illycaffè S.p.A coffee manufacturer. He was deeply and widely respected, considered "an absolute giant" in the world of coffee and espresso, spearheading Illy's research into coffee and espresso quality, as summarized in his son Andrea's book Espresso: The Chemistry of Quality, written with Ernesto's assistance.
