Floyd Cardoz, the season three winner of Top Chef Masters, died on Wednesday at the Mountainside Medical Centre in New Jersey due to complications from coronavirus. He was 59.
Multiple outlets report that the famed chef was first admitted to the hospital with a fever last Wednesday, where he then tested positive for COVID-19.
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Prior to his death, Cardoz revealed via Instagram that he was in the hospital.
"Sincere apologies everyone. I am sorry for causing undue panic around my earlier post," he shared in a second post. "I was feeling feverish and hence as a precautionary measure, admitted myself into hospital in New York."
"I was hugely anxious about my state of health and my post was highly irresponsible causing panic in several quarters," he continued. "I returned to New York on March 8th via Frankfurt."
Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi was one of the first celebs to pay tribute to Cardoz via Instagram on Wednesday after hearing the tragic news.
"I am beyond saddened to wake up today and hear the news of my dear friend @floydcardoz’s passing. Floyd made us all so proud," she wrote. "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, not only for the professional food world, but for Indians everywhere," she added. "My heart goes out to his wife Barkha and their whole family. RIP."
Cardoz is survived by his mother, Beryl, his wife and business partner, Barkha, and their two sons, Peter, 27, and Justin, 22.
See more tributes below:
Love you so much @floydcardoz
— Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) March 25, 2020
Floyd did so much to advance the cause of Indian food and Indian people in America. He was generous, funny, and warm, and I've always wished I could turn back time and eat at Tabla. Sending love to his family. https://t.co/nLMm9ALwmW
— Priya Krishna (@PKgourmet) March 25, 2020
Devastating news about Chef Floyd Cardoz. I can’t process it. A true gentleman in every sense and a great credit to the chef community. He will be sorely missed. #rip
— alex guarnaschelli (@guarnaschelli) March 25, 2020
Floyd Cardoz was an exceptional talent, a chef equally at home with undiluted Indian flavors as he was with the delicious union of French, Indian and American food, a personal idiom that he invented. https://t.co/7NcTes1D01
— Pete Wells (@pete_wells) March 25, 2020
Floyd. You were a gem. You were an amazing human and chef. You were a father and husband full of love and grace. I am so sorry. I love you. Rest in Peace my friend. #floydcardoz
— Hugh Acheson (@HughAcheson) March 25, 2020
Terrible news. Floyd Cardoz - brilliant chef and wonderful man - has fallen to the Corona virus. A huge, huge loss.
— ruthreichl (@ruthreichl) March 25, 2020
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