Iron Chef America star and celebrity chef Kerry Simon passed away Friday at the age of 60 after battling a two-year illness.
Entertainment Weekly reported he had multiple system atrophy and had been in a coma after suffering pneumonia while in hospice care. He revealed his illness with MSA in 2013. This particular disease has similar symptoms to that of Parkinson’s disease.
In his obituary written in the Sun, his longtime friend Robin Leach described him as “a gentle man who will be missed greatly.”
Simon appeared on Iron Chef USA in 2001, but did not emerge a winner until he appeared in Iron Chef America. His signature dish was a hamburger as this helped him to win. He opened a restaurant in 2003 called Simon Kitchen & Bar in Las Vegas.
Another one of his restaurants, Carson Kitchen, took to Instagram to pay tribute to Simon. They ended their message with “Keep Calm and Kerry On!”
CNN reported that his business partner and friend, Elizabeth Blau, said, “We’re devastated that we lost such an amazing and kind man, but know he is in a better place. Our focus now is to continue this fight against MSA in Kerry’s honor.”
Image via Instagram from Carson Kitchen.