As the days progress, we hear more and more notable names have contracted COVID-19, some succumbing to the virus sweeping the globe.
Sadly, a culinary star and former Top Chef Masters winner Floyd Cardoz has died at age 59 from coronavirus.
Cardoz is one of several shocking announcements made today that involve COVID-19, including Prince Charles and even reality TV star Colton Underwood.
For those of us addicted to food and travel shows on the small screen, this comes as a complete shock.
Cardoz was featured on several popular shows like Iron Chef, Ugly Delicious, and Top Chef, where he broke wide on the scene for most in the USA.
Who is Floyd Cardoz?
A celebrated and award-winning Indian-American chef, Floyd Cardoz was redefining the Indian cuisine experience in New York City.
Cardoz was a four-time James Beard Award nominee and a winner of Top Chef Masters, and he ran the Tabla restaurant in New York City before it shut in 2010.
In Mumbai, India, he owned The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, and The Bombay Sweet Shop.
He was known by many famous chefs for rewriting the perceptions of Indian food, introducing the vast and varied styles of the regions of India to the epicurious who loved to explore the country’s rich food offerings.
Cardoz was also featured on the second season of Ugly Delicious with Padma Lakshmi and series star David Chang.
The episode focused on the rich diversity of Indian cuisine and how American chefs of Indian descent from all regions were bringing us the flavors beyond pedestrian curry and naan.
If you have not seen this episode, it is running on Netflix season 2 of this series.
I don’t want to believe this
Coronavirus: Chef Floyd Cardoz, co-owner of Bombay Canteen, dies of Covid-19 in New York City https://t.co/4wqWaYcA0a
— Dave Chang (@davidchang) March 25, 2020
Cardoz posted from his hospital bed as he was fighting the virus that is threatening all human life on the planet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B92S1FunVEX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Cardoz was admitted to the hospital after he tested positive for the virus on March 18. He shared that he had returned from Frankfurt on March 8.
He is survived by his wife Barkha, and their sons Justin and Peter.
The reactions to Cardoz passing
Cardoz’s death is being processed by chefs, food critics, and bloggers as people are using their social media to send up praise and respect for the man who loved to make people happy with his delicious cuisine.
And along with David Chang, whose Tweet we posted above, many others in the food industry paid tribute to Cardoz on social media.
Padma Lakshmi, the host of Top Chef, said Cardoz “made us all so proud.”
Goodbye Floyd. I'm crying. @floydcardoz pic.twitter.com/G6wACxqr80
— Jason Perlow (@jperlow) March 25, 2020
.@floydcardoz made us all so proud. Nobody who lived in NY in the early aughts could forget how delicious and packed Tabla always was. He had an impish smile, an innate need to make those around him happy, and a delicious touch. This is a huge loss… pic.twitter.com/Q6eRVIpZkL
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) March 25, 2020
A huge loss to the gastronomic world; RIP @floydcardoz:https://t.co/LED5ceiVNq
— Bhupender K Bhardwaj (@poetrymania21) March 25, 2020
Sincerest condolences to his family, peers, friends, and fans.
Top Chef 17 premiered on March 19, 2020, and airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.