Chef Floyd Cardoz, Chef and Restaurateur
Born October 6, 1960 in Mumbai, India
Died March 25, 2020 in Montclair, New Jersey U.S.
World renowned Chef Floyd Cardoz, 59 year old Culinary Director of Hunger, Inc. shocked the world by his quick death to COVID-19. The highly acclaimed fusionist who owned and operated establishments in New York and Bombay, returned to the U.S. from Mumbai on March 8th. He flew into the U.S. via Frankfurt. He had been filming an upcoming Netflix series for “Ugly Delicious” in India. On March 17th, he was admitted to the hospital saying that he was “feeling feverish.” Eight days later, he died from complications from the Novel Coronavirus.
Winner of “Top Chef Masters” competition Season 3 (2011), his notoriety of melding Indian flavors and spices with Western cuisines, advanced the cause of Indian food and Indian owned establishments in America. He was an inspiration to chefs around the world.
His establishments included Tabla (NY 1997-2010) and Paowalla/ Bombay Bread Bar, a New York establishment which recently closed in July of 2019. He also owned and operated the Bombay Sweet Shop, Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in India. Interestingly, much of his Bread Bar menu was made up of small plates.
Chef Cardoz had a flare for making difficult things look easy. Often called influential and gregarious, he left a healthy dose of happiness and generosity everywhere he went. His love of family was like no other. He is survived by his mother Beryl, his wife (and business partner) Barkha and his two sons, Justin and Peter. Poised for success in bigger and better things, Chef Cardoz’s legacy will not die with his demise.
The Chef’s most amazing “SPARKS” are his contributions to eating. Perhaps his family will carry on his stove-top spark with a “female Indian chef” assisted by her sons.
You can capture his “sparks” in his delectable recipes in his two books:
"Flavorwalla: Big Flavor. Bold Spices. A New Way to Cook the Foods You Love "
by Floyd Cardoz (Artisan Books) Copyright = 2016 (insert hyperlink)
"One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors"
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Copyright 2006 (INSERT HYPERLINK)
Last but not least, let’s not forget the Chef’s biggest SPARK. The central focus of Cardoz’s charity work was The Young Scientist Foundation. In 2011, Chef Cardoz had directed his $110,000 winnings from the “Top Chef Masters” competition to them. He also frequently sponsored ongoing fundraising Galas for their benefit.
Oddly enough, the Foundation’s mission is “connecting motivated high school and college students with passionate mentors in order to provide those students a unique opportunity to embark on careers in science by engaging in meaning medical research.” This enables students to work with accomplished researchers to develop new treatments for diseases.
Wouldn’t it just be awesome if Chef Cardoz’s “spark” could motivate a team there to fast-track (by warp speed) a vaccine for COVID-19?
It could just be the best thing that Chef Floyd Cardoz ever cooked up!!
www.theyoungscientistfoundation.org
IMAGES CREDITS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/garysoup/6288123938/
