Bay area celebrity chef and former Food Network star, Michael Chiarello passed away at 61 years old after he got an allergic reaction.

His restaurant group and Gruppo Chiarello Friday announced that his founder and chef, Michael Chiarello, passed away at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California, where he had been hospitalized for the past week for a fatal allergic reaction that led to anaphylactic shock. He was just 61. 

Gruppo Chiarello closed by saying, “As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts; his legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life’s flavors,” according to People’s Magazine.

Chiarello was surrounded by his loved family and friends in his last moments, with sorrow but warm eyes. 

The family also said in the statement,

“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch, Michael; his culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, fostering lasting memories around the table.” (As also noted here)

Who Was Michael Chiarello?

Born in Red Bluff, California, on Jan. 26, 1962, known for Italian-influenced California cuisine, Michael Chiarello became a well-known chef, honored as 1985’s Chef of the Year by Food & Wine Magazine. He opened his first restaurant, Tra Vigne, in the Napa Valley in 1987, which expanded with Bottega and Ottimo, located in Napa Valley, and Coqueta, branching out into the winemaking business in 1999. He then set up NapaStyle, a fabulous store selling a collection of treasures, from charming vintage kitchenware home products to Italian imports.

The celebrity chef is now wisely famed for his shows ran on PBS, including “Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello,” featuring Michael’s plan for casual and easy cooking, airing for ten seasons, also “The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs,” an American cooking show with chefs’ battles considering the best chef in 2011, and both ran by Food Network and finally, “Supermarket Superstar” an American reality-competition cooking tv series, aired in 2013.

Check out a video of Chiarello below:

Published by HOLR Magazine.