Food Network Chef Michael Chiarello Cause of Death Revealed
Celebrity chef Michael Chiarello's cause of death has been revealed more than a month after he died at age 61.
Food Network celebrity chef Michael Chiarello died after an allergic reaction led to anaphylactic shock and then a heart attack, the Napa County Coroner confirmed to TMZ this week. Chiarello died at the age of 61 on Saturday, Oct. 7 in Napa, California at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center.
TMZ reports that Chiarello was brought back to life after suffering an allergic reaction but later had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy – a disorder caused by a lack of oxygen and blood flow. It's unclear what he had an allergic reaction to. The coroner also found cocaine in his system but he did not die from a drug overdose.
Chiarello's family released a tribute to him in October. "We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael," they wrote. "His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being."
"He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table," the statement continued. "As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts. His legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life's flavors."
Chiarello opened his first restaurant, Toby's, in Miami in 1984 when he was 22 years old, according to his website. One year later, he was named Chef of the Year by Food & Wine magazine. He opened his critically acclaimed restaurant Tra Vigne in Napa Valley in 1986 and later opened other restaurants like Bottega, Coquata and Otto.
Outside of being a restaurateur, Chiarello's bustling TV career began in 2001 on the PBS show Season by Season. He hosted two other shows for the network, Michael Chiarello's Napa and Michael Chiarello's Napa: Casual Cooking. He became the host of Food Network's Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello in 2003, winning a Daytime Emmy in 2005. He made Food Network appearances on shows like The Next Iron Chef, Restaurant: Impossible, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and Chopped. He competed as a contestant in Top Chef Masters in 2009 and The Next Iron Chef in 2011.
Chiarello is survived by his four children – son Aiden and daughters Margaux, Felicia and Gina.