‘Top Chef Masters’ Winner Floyd Cardoz Dies Of Coronavirus At 59

Denise Petski
·4 min read

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UPDATED: Chef Floyd Cardoz, winner of season 3 of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters competition series, died Wednesday of complications from coronavirus. He was 59. Cardoz’s family confirmed his death in a statement to Scroll.in.

“It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing away of Chef Floyd Cardoz (59 years), Co-Founder, Hunger Inc. Hospitality, on March 25, 2020 in New Jersey, USA,” the statement said. “He is survived by his mother Beryl, wife Barkha and sons Justin and Peter.

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“Floyd tested positive for Covid 19, in USA, on March 18th and was being treated for the same at Mountainside Medical Centre, New Jersey, USA.”’

Cardoz posted an update on his Instagram page Wednesday when he was first admitted to the hospital with a fever, saying he sought medical help as a precautionary measure.

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“Sincere apologies everyone. I am sorry for causing undue panic around my earlier post. I was feeling feverish and hence as a precautionary measure, admitted myself into hospital in New York,” he wrote, adding he “was hugely anxious about my state of health.”

View this post on Instagram

Sincere apologies everyone. I am sorry for causing undue panic around my earlier 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. I returned to New York on March 8th via Frankfurt

A post shared by Floyd Cardoz (@floydcardoz) on Mar 17, 2020 at 1:34pm PDT

Earlier this month, Cardoz had been traveling in India with Aziz Ansari to film an episode of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious, a docuseries which follows award-winning chef David Chang around the globe, a trip he chronicled on his Instagram account. On March 17, he revealed on Instagram that he had returned to the U.S. for medical treatment on March 8, saying that he was “feeling feverish.”

“I don’t want to believe this,” Chang wrote on Twitter. “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,” Chang added. “The family tree that branched out of that hall of fame kitchen changed gastronomy in America for the better.

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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.

“Bravo and the Top Chef family are deeply saddened by the passing of Chef Floyd Cardoz. Floyd was a talented chef who competed and won Top Chef Masters, a Bravo spokesperson said in a statement. “He was thoughtful, kind and his smile illuminated a room. He was an inspiration to chefs around the world and we offer our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.”

Cardoz was the co-owner of the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro restaurants in Mumbai. He had recently launched his third venture, the Bombay Sweet Shop.

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