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(CNN) - The famous chef Carl Ruiz, owner of the La Cubana restaurant and who frequently appeared on the television channel The Food Network, died, according to an announcement from the New York restaurant. He was 44 years old.
"On behalf of the La Cubana family, with great regret, we are deeply saddened to share the death of our beloved executive chef Carl Ruiz," La Cubana published on his social networking sites.
"There are no words that can express our sadness over the sudden loss of our dear friend and brother," said the post.
La Cubana did not publish the cause of death.
Ruiz had a presence on both television and radio and opened restaurants worldwide, according to his biography on the La Cubana website.
"It was a powerful force of Cuban home cooking and lived life to the fullest, just as it cooked, being" always dancing "the most important ingredient," said the publication of La Cubana.
Famous fellow chefs who were friends of Ruiz posted tributes online. Guy Fieri posted on Instagram that he is "disconsolate" by the news.
"Over the years, I have met many excellent people, but a friend like Carl is one in 100 million," Fieri published. "Carl 'The Cuban' Ruiz will live forever in my heart and those of all who loved him."
"You taught us how to enjoy every moment to the fullest and not live by asking what would happen if ...", tweeted chef Jet Tila, who appeared in several cooking shows.
"I can't explain how deeply special some people are," Alex Guarnaschelli said on Instagram. "This man was somehow paternal, comforting, wise, reckless, bright, perversely funny and unique, all in one."
Ruiz's enthusiasm for food and life was so much a part of him that he had a verb for it: "ruizing." It is a “way of life” that began with Ruiz, according to the Urban Dictionary, which defines it as “enjoying excellent drinks and food, smoking cigarettes and doing whatever you want. You must drink with your pinky up! ”
The restaurant said Ruiz's work to establish the Carl Ruiz Scholarship Foundation for “aspiring chefs” will continue.
CNN's Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.
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