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Renowned chef Floyd Cardoz dies at 59 of coronavirus complications

Renowned chef Floyd Cardoz dies at 59 of coronavirus complications

The Top Chef Masters winner was known for melding flavours and spices of his homeland with western techniques.
Updated 27 Mar, 2020

Chef Floyd Cardoz, who competed on Top Chef, won Top Chef Masters and operated successful restaurants in both India and New York, died Wednesday of complications from the coronavirus, his company said in a statement. He was 59.

Cardoz had traveled from Mumbai to New York through Frankfurt, Germany, on March 8. He was admitted a week ago to Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, New Jersey, with a fever and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, the statement said.

The committed advocate of making the food industry more sustainable began his hospitality training in his native Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. He later moved to Switzerland, where he honed his skills in French, Italian and Indian cuisine before moving on to the kitchens of New York City.

He was a partner in Bombay Sweet Shop, O Pedro and The Bombay Canteen in India at the time of his death.

The Indian-American partnered with famed restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group to open Tabla in 1997. The Manhattan spot was praised by critics. It closed in 2010.

Cardoz’s death was mourned by famous friends in both the restaurant and television industries.

“Love you so much @floydcardoz,” Meyer tweeted, calling him a “beautiful human being.”

The two worked together for 17 years. At Tabla, they celebrated Cardoz’s new Indian cuisine that melded the sensual flavors and spices of his homeland with Western techniques.

Padma Lakshmi, host of the Bravo cooking competition series Top Chef, praised the success of Tabla and offered condolences to Cardoz’s loved ones, including his wife and business partner, Barkha.

“He had an impish smile, an innate need to make those around him happy, and a delicious touch,” Lakshmi tweeted.

The Twitter account for Top Chef offered condolences and called Cardoz an “inspiration to chefs around the world.”

In 2011, Cardoz competed in and won Season 3 of Top Chef Masters. He used his $110,000 in winnings to support the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

The now-independent foundation, referred to as the Young Scientist Foundation, enables high school and college students to work alongside accomplished researchers to develop new treatments for diseases, according to a spokesperson for Cardoz’s company. It was a central focus of his charity work.

In addition to Tabla, Cardoz and Meyer partnered in 2012 on North End Grill, a Battery Park City staple that was a downtown Manhattan favorite until its closing in 2018.

In addition to his work with Meyer, Cardoz partnered with Sameer Seth and Yash Bhanage in Hunger Inc. Hospitality starting in 2015.

Cardoz was a four-time James Beard Award nominee. He was the author of two cookbooks, Once Spice, Two Spice and Flavorwalla.

In 2008, he launched a line of ready to cook entrees in collaboration with the online grocer Fresh Direct.

Comments

T. M. Reddy Mar 26, 2020 12:18pm
RIP
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Mann Mar 26, 2020 12:23pm
Rest In Peace Chef. We in Mumbai and NYC will miss you.
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Zak Mar 26, 2020 01:20pm
RIP death has no place
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Suman saurabh Mar 26, 2020 01:29pm
Salute you sir, being a top chef , you won $110,000 and donated the money to cancer research. We south Asian need to learn from you to donate money to science and research and not elsewhere.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Mar 26, 2020 01:54pm
His passing away proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the everspreading and rapidly growing coronavirus pandemic does not discriminate on the basis of color, creed, class, ethnicity, race, religion, age, gender, wealth, health and national origin.
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A shah Mar 26, 2020 02:44pm
RIP Indians are loved across the globe
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HKG Mar 26, 2020 03:09pm
Rest in peace my friend
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John Smith Mar 26, 2020 03:32pm
Airports are all infected. If you travel through them you get infected.
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Brian Mar 26, 2020 05:46pm
RIP
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Laila Mar 26, 2020 06:30pm
This is sad. I don't know of him until this article. RIP. Corona is real. People inform yourselves. Practise good hygiene and social distancing. And help those who don't have this formation or access to sanitation by giving them free soap, food and water. Be human.
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Vishesh Mar 26, 2020 06:50pm
RIP....... Ambassador of Indian culture/diversity/cuisine ..... We are proud of you !
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AZAM AKBAR Mar 26, 2020 08:55pm
Rest In Peace.
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Zak Mar 27, 2020 02:32am
Sad but really never heard of him.
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Zak Mar 27, 2020 02:32am
@Zak 'RIP death has no place' It has, it's called the graveyard.
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Zak Mar 27, 2020 02:34am
He must have got it in India. 'Cardoz had traveled from Mumbai to New York through Frankfurt, Germany, on March 8.'
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Sab Mar 27, 2020 04:49am
RIP. Article outlines his personal n career beautifully. Did not know him before this. Luv from India
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