COVID-19

Floyd Cardoz, a celebrated Indian American chef in New York City who had a huge impact on the international culinary world, died Wednesday after testing positive for the coronavirus a week ago. Cardoz, 59, was being treated at the Mountainside Medical Center in New Jersey after he tested positive for the virus on March 18, a spokesperson for Hunger Inc. Hospitality, where he was a partner, told BuzzFeed News. He was in Mumbai recently and flew back to New York on March 8 via Frankfurt. Cardoz is survived by his mother, Beryl, his wife, Barkha, and their sons, Justin and Peter. Cardoz, a four-time James Beard Award nominee and a winner of Top Chef Masters, helmed the iconic Tabla restaurant in New York City before it shut in 2010. He was the partner at two popular restaurants in Mumbai — the Bombay Canteen and O Pedro — and had recently launched a third establishment, Bombay Sweet Shop. Cardoz's death was met with shock and grief by chefs, food critics and writers, restaurateurs, and others across the culinary world where he was long considered a pioneer of bringing Indian flavors to America. Jason Perlow, a former food blogger in Florida, often met Cardoz at food events in New York City and at Tabla, where he dined frequently with his wife and friends in the mid-2000s. "He was always the most accommodating person," Perlow told BuzzFeed News. Perlow said he distinctly remembered that Cardoz was one of the first people to import Indian mangoes to New York City and introduced the fruit to the American culinary world at Tabla. Danny Meyers — the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, who worked with Cardoz for 17 years and was his partner at Tabla and North End Grill — posted an emotional tribute to his close friend, saying he made "monumental contributions" to the industry. "Few people have done more than Floyd to impact an entire industry, the career trajectories of more cooks, or the palates of more restaurant-goers," Meyers said. "He was beyond talented as a cook. He was a super-taster, big-hearted, stubborn as the day is long, and the most loyal friend, husband, and dad you could imagine. My heart is just broken