Some Instagrammers recalled Carl Ruiz for his kindness, with one remarking that he had a “captivating personality with a heart of gold!” Another expressed gratitude at having met the chef. While fans felt that Ruiz was taken from the world too soon, they made it clear that he left a mark that they will not soon forget.
Ruiz’s humble and self-deprecating social media bio, which says, “Dishwasher. Foodnetwork. Won some Awards. Didn’t deserve most of them” (via Instagram). Ruiz owned the New York restaurant La Cubana and hosted a popular YouTube series, Omg Carl’s Food Show. He got his start on television during an appearance on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2013 and went on to guest star in Guy’s Grocery Games and Guy’s Ranch Kitchen (via Food & Wine).
After Ruiz’s death, Fieri paid his own heartfelt tribute (via Twitter): “I’m heartbroken that my friend chef Carl Ruiz is gone. I have no words to describe what a great friend he was to me and my family. His ability to make me laugh and smile under any circumstances was only outshined by his talent as a chef.”
