Top Chef Masters Season 3 winner Floyd Cardoz has reportedly died due to coronavirus complications. The reality TV chef was just 59 years old. His family shared the sad news with the Indian publication Scroll.in on Wednesday.
Cardoz admitted himself to a New Jersey hospital on March 18, saying he had a fever and felt sick. After testing positive for COVID-19, his family announced that he had passed away on Wednesday morning. Cardoz was a beloved figure in the world of cooking shows and upscale restaurants — he co-owned two popular eateries in Mumbai, India and lived in New Jersey.
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Cardoz was raised in Mumbai. His career took off in the 1990s when he ran a restuarant in New York City called Tabla. He would go on to co-own The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in Mumbai. He just recently launched a third location called the Bombay Sweet Shop as well.
In 2011, Cardoz competed on Top Chef Masters, winning a total of $110,000 in prize money and earning lots of praise from the celebrity judges. The success landed him a few more roles on food-based reality shows as well, including an appearance on Netflix’s Ugly Delicious.
“I don’t want to believe this,” tweeted Ugly Delicious host David Chang after news of Cardoz’s death broke. People may not realize it, but so much of the food you eat today was influenced by Floyd when he was the cdc at Lespinasse with the late chef Grey Kunz. The family tree that branched out of that hall of fame kitchen changed gastronomy in America for the better.”
“But as great as a chef as Floyd was, he was a better person and amazing dad. I will miss you so much Floyd,” Chang concluded.
Floyd was one of my earliest supporters and he would saddle up at the old noodle bar with his sons and they would each order a bowl of spicy tripe. Feel terrible for dan kluger, will guidara and the entire tabla alumni. He was so loved
— Dave Chang (@davidchang) March 25, 2020
Cardoz himself made one last Instagram post from the hospital last week, explaining that he admitted himself “as a precautionary measure.” The 59-year-old gave his fans his “sincere apologies… for causing undue panic around my earlier post.”
According to Scroll.in, Cardoz’s company The Hunger Inc. is taking precautions to see that those who contacted Cardoz are not carrying COVID-19 as well. Cardoz left Mumbai on March 8 and had a stop in Frankfurt on his way home.
“As a precautionary measure we have informed the Health Department in Mumbai about the same,” read a company statement. “We are also reaching out personally to people who have interacted with him during his visit to India, so they can take necessary medical advice should they indicate any symptoms [fever, cough, shortness of breath] and or [put themselves in] self-quarantine.”
For the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the CDC’s website.
