“Did you hear about the Italian chef? He pasta way”

It’s one of the most popular of pasta puns:
 
“Did you hear about the Italian chef? he pasta way.”
 
“Pasta way” was cited in a 1967 newspaper. “Did you hear about the italian chef…he pasta way!” was cited in 1996.
     
 
Google News Archive
23 August 1967, Milwaukee (WI) Sentinel, “Pipeline Could Be Broken” by Buck Herzog, pt. 1, pg. 11, col. 1:
Reading that opera composer Giacomo Puccini’s long time chef died, Sentinel Copy Editor Dorothy Holm was wondering if she “pasta way.”
 
Google Groups: rec.arts.dance
c&w Southern National Jokes
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
10/12/96
(...)
Did you hear about the italian chef…...
...... he pasta way!
 
Google Groups: za.humour
Italian chef
Ernest Bessinger
10/27/99
Did you hear what happened to the Italian chef ?
He pasta-way!
 
11 December 2001, The Times of India (New Delhi), pg. 11, col. 3:
INTERNET HUMOUR
Q: Did you hear about the Italian chef that died?
A: It’s so sad…he pasta way.
 
Twitter
Squiffy The Clown
‏@Squiffy2
#humor #comedy Did you hear about the Italian Chef that died?
He pasta way.
8:41 AM - 19 Nov 2009
 
Twitter
kissmykas
‏@kasprd
did you hear about the Italian chef??  he PASTA way!!
2:57 AM - 4 Feb 2010
 
Google Books
The Mammoth Book of Really Silly Jokes:
Humour for the Whole Family
By Geoff Tibballs
London: Constable & Robinson Ltd
2011
Pg. ?:
Did you hear about the Italian chef who died?
He pasta way last week
 
Google Books
More One Liners, Jokes and Gags
By Grant Tucker
London: The Robson Press
2013
Pg. ?:
Did you hear about the Italian chef that died? He pasta way. We cannoli do so much. His legacy will become a pizza history.