Page 38 - JAN2020 BBQNEWS Digital Issue

bbq cause
#ruizingforacause
Ray Sheehan
BBQ Buddha
Ray@BBQBuddha.com
On Saturday, November 16th Pig Beach BBQ restaurant in Brooklyn, NY hosted an event to honor the late, beloved Chef and Food Network personality Carl Ruiz.
Ruiz, who appeared on numer- ous Food Network shows in- cluding Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Guy’s Ranch Kitchen, died at age 44 on Sept. 21st. The official cause of death, as stated by the Mary- land Department of Health,
is atherosclerotic cardiovascu- lar disease — or in other words, a heart attack.
Chef Carl was not only an in- spiration to those in the culi- nary world, but he touched many lives and formed bonds with people of every walk of life, including many in the bar- becue world. Whether he was giving back to his community or supporting Operation BBQ Relief, Ruiz was always happy to help.
Food Network star, chef, and BBQ Hall of Famer, Guy Fieri stated on 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 out-
shined by his talent as a chef.
Over the years, I’ve met a lot of
great people but a friend like
Carl is one in a hundred million. Carl ‘The Cuban’ Ruiz will
forever live on in my heart and in those of all who loved him.” Many companies were vital in making this event happen such
Photo Courtesy of Ray Sheehan
Photo Courtesy of David Marx- Operation BBQ Relief
Carl's personal items also, such as his "ruiz- ing sneakers, baseball caps and a Seiko watch.
BarbecueNews.com - 38 JANUARY 2020
Chef Carl Ruiz had a zest for food and life. It was defined by the website urbandic- tionary.com as a verb: “Ruizing; a way of living that started with chef Carl Ruiz from New Jersey. It is enjoying great drinks, food, smoking cigars, and living your best life. You must drink with pinkies up.”
This event served as a celebration of the chef’s life, and featured such notable pit masters as Chris Lilly-Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Billy Durney-Hometown BBQ, Sam Jones- Sam Jones BBQ, Pat Martin-Pat Martin BBQ, Tank Jackson-Holy City Hogs, Ed Randolph-Handsome Devil BBQ, Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride-Pig Beach BBQ, Jonathan and Justin Fox-Fox Brothers BBQ, Craig Verhage-The BBQ Ninja, Operation BBQ Relief, and others as well as Food Net- work chefs Amanda Freitag and Chris Petroni.
Guests were treated to a dazzling array of dishes such as brisket tacos, smoked turkey, pulled pork sliders, gumbo, em- panadas, pizza, smoked chicken with Ala- bama white BBQ sauce, pit beef sandwiches, Mediterranean Chicken sliders with cucumber yogurt sauce, smoked bologna sandwiches and even Sabrett hot dogs (as they were Carl’s favorite). Those with a sweet tooth were treated to donuts by the Donut Project, Bergers Cookies, as well as brownies and pecan hand pies from Gloria Chabot @bakergoog.
The event also launched the #ruizingfora- cause foundation that will be focused on two causes very close to Carl’s heart: sup- porting culinary education and funding re- search to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
To help raise money for the foundation a silent auction was held with some amazing items. Guy Fieri donated a Diner's, Drive-In and Dive's experience and a chef coat signed by over 20 food network chefs. Up for bid, there were also rare bourbons and cigars, a Big Green Egg, BBQ sauces and rubs, an apple watch and some of