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Carl Ruiz, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur, Dies at 44 Carl Ruiz, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur, Dies at 44
(about 5 hours later)
Carl Ruiz, a television celebrity chef and global restaurateur, has died, his Manhattan restaurant La Cubana said on social media on Sunday. He was 44. Carl A. Ruiz, a television celebrity chef and global restaurateur whose dishes celebrated his Latin upbringing, has died, his brother said on Monday. He was 44.
The restaurant did not give a cause of death. The brother, George Ruiz, said Mr. Ruiz was visiting with friends in Maryland near Baltimore when he died. The cause of death has not been determined, he said.
Mr. Ruiz made frequent appearances on the Food Network as a competitive chef and celebrity judge. He opened restaurants around the world, his most recent being La Cubana, which opened in the Chelsea neighborhood in June. The restaurant serves authentic Cuban food and pays tribute to Mr. Ruiz’s Cuban roots. He was its executive chef and owner. Mr. Ruiz who made frequent appearances on the Food Network as a competitive chef and celebrity judge, ran or was involved in several restaurants, his most recent being La Cubana, which opened in the Chelsea neighborhood in June.
“On behalf of the La Cubana family, with heavy hearts, we are deeply saddened to share the passing of our beloved Executive Chef Carl Ruiz,” an Instagram post from the restaurant said. “No words can fully express our sadness at the sudden loss of our dear friend and brother.” He was the executive chef and owner of the restaurant, which pays tribute to his Cuban roots. An Instagram post from the restaurant on Sunday announced his death.
The restaurant promised to honor Mr. Ruiz’s memory by establishing a scholarship foundation for aspiring chefs. The inspiration for Mr. Ruiz’s culinary talents decidedly came from their Cuban mother, George Ruiz said.
“My mom and my grandmother are culinary artists in their own way, even if they don’t have a degree,” George Ruiz said. “They had a real amazing talent.”
Mr. Ruiz graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and made his name interviewing chefs on Sirius XM Radio before building a successful television and radio career. He said his brother learned the craft at home, experimented with ingredients and then went into business for himself.
Friends, colleagues and fans mourned Mr. Ruiz’s death on Sunday. Over the years, Carl Ruiz was involved in restaurants in New Jersey, including as the executive chef at Sabor in North Bergen and at Cuban Pete’s in Montclair. He also ran Marie’s Italian Specialties, a deli-style restaurant, with his wife at the time, Marie. (Their marriage ended in divorce.)
Guy Fieri, another Food Network restaurateur, said on Twitter that he was heartbroken by Mr. Ruiz’s death. “His ability to make me laugh and smile under any circumstances was only outshined by his talent as a chef,” Mr. Fieri said. He told The New York Times in 2014 that eating there was intended to be an experience.
Matt Farah, who hosts a YouTube series about cars called “The Smoking Tire,” said he first met Mr. Ruiz two years ago. Mr. Farah heard the chef say on a radio show that he liked “The Smoking Tire,” and Mr. Farah called in to the show to respond. “It’s not eating-fava-beans-in-flip-flops-in-Tuscany Italian,” Mr. Ruiz said. “It’s American Italian. It’s lay-down-on-your-couch-for-three-hours-afterward Italian.”
George Ruiz said that attitude was in keeping with his brother’s outlook about the role of food in building and maintaining connections with family and friends.
George Ruiz said that his brother was a lover of all cuisines but that “he understood that food was a conduit to very aspirational things, like connections and life.”
For decades, their parents, Elisa and Yezzid Ruiz, ran a tire shop in Passaic, N.J., where they boys also worked.
George Ruiz said his brother drew inspiration from their Colombian father, who emphasized the importance of providing a service and strong relationships with customers.
“He wasn’t just fixing your tire: He was helping you get to work,” George Ruiz said. “It was an integral part of a solid immigrant community, helping people get what they needed.”
George Ruiz recalled his brother talking about his appearances on the Food Network. “Those were amazing times for him to work with people who thought about food on another level,” he said.
Carl Ruiz also appeared on Sirius XM Radio, where he shared “his own culinary knowledge with an equal dose of truth and comedy, whether he was debunking a food trend or sharing a recipe,” his website said.
Carl Albert Ruiz was born on April 4, 1975, in Passaic, and graduated from Collegiate School in Passaic and then from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. His brother and parents survive him.
Matt Farah, who hosts a YouTube series about cars called “The Smoking Tire,” said he first met Mr. Ruiz two years ago. Mr. Farah heard the chef say on a radio show that he liked “The Smoking Tire,” and Mr. Farah called in to respond.
“We literally became friends live on the radio, instantly exchanged phone numbers, started hanging out,” Mr. Farah said.“We literally became friends live on the radio, instantly exchanged phone numbers, started hanging out,” Mr. Farah said.
Mr. Ruiz attended Mr. Farah’s wedding in April.Mr. Ruiz attended Mr. Farah’s wedding in April.
“He was dancing with everybody, 20 people, none of whom really knew him,” he said.“He was dancing with everybody, 20 people, none of whom really knew him,” he said.
At the after-party, Mr. Ruiz ordered $300 worth of Domino’s pizza and explained to people how, compared with fancier pizzas, Domino’s was “just as important for our culture.”At the after-party, Mr. Ruiz ordered $300 worth of Domino’s pizza and explained to people how, compared with fancier pizzas, Domino’s was “just as important for our culture.”
Troy Johnson, a food critic and judge on several Food Network shows, said on Twitter that Mr. Ruiz “made people laugh who’d forgotten how to laugh.”Troy Johnson, a food critic and judge on several Food Network shows, said on Twitter that Mr. Ruiz “made people laugh who’d forgotten how to laugh.”
“He set rooms on fire,” Mr. Johnson wrote. “He was the match and the kerosene.”“He set rooms on fire,” Mr. Johnson wrote. “He was the match and the kerosene.”
Mihir Zaveri contributed reporting. Christopher Mele and Mihir Zaveri contributed reporting. Kitty Bennett contributed research.