A top chef has died of skin cancer at the age of 32, just days before his Michelin-starred restaurant in Bristol was rated as one of the best in the UK.
Jonray Sánchez-Iglesias, who co-owned Casamia in Westbury-on-Trym with his brother Peter, had been terminally ill for four years.
Tributes poured in for the chef from across the restaurant industry, after his family confirmed his death this week.
Gordon Ramsay tweeted:
Jay Rayner, the restaurant critic, wrote: “I heard this news yesterday morning and hoped it wasn’t true.”
Sánchez-Iglesias was described as a “wonderful son, husband, father and brother” by his family. The tribute from his parents said: “Throughout the past four years, Jonray’s strength and bravery were unbelievable.
“No matter what challenges he faced, Jonray would always fight back. Even after undergoing numerous surgeries and making countless visits to the oncology unit, he was determined to head straight back to his team and guests, just to hear the words ‘check on chief’.”
The brothers, who had taken over the restaurant from their parents and built it up to be one of three Michelin-starred restaurants in the Bristol area, had been planning a major expansion in the new year with a move to a brand new site at the former general hospital, overlooking the Bristol floating harbour.
Such a proud moment. To be on the list, amongst so many restaurants we love to eat at & chefs we respect! Thank you pic.twitter.com/e04wEqGPKj
— Casamia Autumn (@Casamia_) November 8, 2015
The pair, who have previously appeared on the BBC cooking show Saturday Kitchen, were described as “two little geniuses” by Ramsay when they won Ramsay’s restaurant awards in 2010.
The chef’s brother, Peter, wrote on social media: “JR made me a better cook, made me a visionary and taught me value in life.”
The brothers were recently named chefs of the year in the Good Food Guide 2015 and this week were ranked fourth in the Sunday Times list of best UK restaurants.
Sánchez-Iglesias, who died last Friday, leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.
