One of the World’s Most Famous Indian Chefs Dies of COVID-19

Cardoz, 59, visited the Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, New Jersey last week as a “precautionary measure” after he was “feeling feverish.” He later tested positive for COVID-19, according to TIME.

Before going to the hospital, the celebrity chef reportedly returned to New York from Mumbai, India via Frankfurt, Germany on March 8.

“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,” Cardoz wrote in his Instagram post. “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.”

Before moving to New York, Cardoz honed his hospitality skills in Mumbai, where he was born. He then moved to Switzerland where he was trained in French, Italian and Indian cuisine.

Cardoz opened the esteemed Indian restaurant Tabla in Manhattan in 1997 in partnership with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. The restaurant was praised by critics, but it eventually closed down in 2010.

Cardoz and Meyer also partnered up on North End Grill in Battery Park City in 2012 before its closure in 2018.

The chef also opened the Bombay Sweet Shop, The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in Mumbai. The Bombay Canteen and O Pedro were featured in David Chang’s Netflix series “Ugly Delicious,” Fox News reported.

Between 2004 and 2007, Cardoz had been nominated four times for the James Beard Award for Best Chef.

In 2011, Cardoz competed in the third season of “Top Chef Masters” and won the top prize of $110,000. He used his winnings to support the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

After the news of his passing, celebrities, chefs, hosts and restaurants offered their emotional tribute to Cardoz. They praised the chef for revolutionizing Indian cuisine in America.

Feature Image via @davidchang (Left), @floydcardoz (Right)