Famed American chef Tom Valenti recently passed away following a short illness. He was 67 years old.
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The late chef’s cousin, Cathleen Rubens, confirmed the news, telling The New York Times that his death followed a short, sudden illness.
The media outlet reported that Valenti was a rising star in the restaurant business. He cooked at Restaurant Guy Savoy during the early years of his career. He also served as sous chef at Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City.
Valenti later became the owner and executive chef of Oxbow Tavern on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He also served as executive chef of Le Cirque Restaurant in Midtown Manhattan.
Other restaurants he worked in included Ouest Restaurant, Cesca, West Branch, Casabel, Alison on Dominick, and Gotham Bar & Grill.
He once described his cooking style as “haute cuisine with the grandma gene.”
Valenti appeared on multiple TV shows, including The Martha Stewart Show, The Today Show, The Early Show, and Boy Meets Grill.
He also published several cookbooks.
The Famed Chef is Remembered For His Unique Cooking
Following the news that Valenti, many people from the culinary world took to social media to pay tribute.
“He always smiled, didn’t carry problems around, and, boy, could he cook,” David Burke stated. “He cooked really sexy, simple food.”
Burke further pointed out, “He used ingredients like skate; nobody cooked skate back then. … He made a lot of wonderful food that chefs wanted to eat.”
Fellow chef Andrew Zimmern also wrote, “His food was exquisite, whether he was doing a rustic bowl of tortellini en brodo, or the most complex and intricate of platings, he could do it all. His laugh, his brilliant mind, his teaching ability, and his intense focus either at work or catching up on the phone were things I will never forget about him.”
“Obviously I remember all the incredible dishes, I was lucky enough to eat his food for decades,” Zimmern continued. “But when I was in my 20s and a total f–ing mess, Tom cared about me, taught me things in the kitchen that I still use today, and gave me just enough respect for myself that I was able to eventually get well.”