Louisville’s food community has lost one of its most iconic chefs and champions.

Chef Anoosh Shariat, a pioneer of the local culinary scene known for his charity work, contagious smile and creativity on the plate, died Wednesday after a years-long battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

Among an outpouring of social media messages honoring Shariat, the nonprofit Fate Inc. was one of the first to post about the chef’s death on Facebook. Shariat was instrumental in starting the organization, which provides temporary and limited financial aid to food and beverage professionals in need in the Louisville area.

“It is with great sadness but so much love that we celebrate the legendary life of Chef Anoosh Shariat, whom we lost today.” read the post.

Gary Fox, President Fate Inc., learned of Sharati’s death early Wednesday, he told the Courier Journal.

The two met about 13 years ago, he said. Fox remembers Shariat as a talented chef at his restaurants, including Anoosh Bistro and Noosh Noosh, as well as a leader, ready to generously mentor young chefs and celebrate other restaurants.

“He’s one of those people who’s been able to be successful while being thoughtful and caring,” Fox said. “He’s one of the all-time good guys.”

Apron Inc. recently honored the chef with its top award during an annual fundraiser.

A video about Shariat aired during the ceremony, offering a glimpse into the legendary chef’s roots and rise on the food scene.

Shariat was born in 1957 in Iran. As a teenager, he left his hometown to attend high school in Germany, where his brother helped him get a job in the school cafeteria. Silversmithing, his first job and introduction to the restaurant industry, would help him learn the language. That was the point, anyway.

That’s where his passion for cooking began, Shariat shared in the video posted on YouTube.

He then moved to Dallas, where Shariat worked hard to fine-tune his cooking chops by working multiple jobs at once.

This caught the attention of developer Charles Osborn, and the founder Norton Commonswhich brought Shariat to Louisville to serve as executive chef of Remington’s, a fine dining restaurant.

In the early 1990s, the head chef opened his own restaurant called Shariat Restaurant.

He opened Anoosh Bistro in 2013 and followed the nearby Noosh Nosh.

More: Louisville chef Anoosh Shariat has died. A look back at 7 of his recipes from our archives

During this time, chefs like Dallas McGarity were opening upscale restaurants, bringing attention to Louisville’s culinary scene.

“He helped put Louisville on the national food scene and always wanted great things for everybody,” James Beard Award semifinalist McGarity, who holds The Fat Lambhe told the Courier Journal.

After hearing of Shariat’s death, McGarity recalled Shariat’s “kindness and wisdom.”

“Louisville has lost one of the best people around today,” he told the Courier Journal. “(His) legacy will live on through the food community he cherished and all the lives he touched. I can only hope to be as influential and loved as he is.”

Shariat retired from the restaurant business in April. Anoosh Bistro has been sold to chef Daniel Davidson, formerly of Log Still Distillery and Churchill Downsand now it is a concept called Eat Restaurant.

Throughout her career, Shariat continued to host and support fundraisers for Apron Inc.

Among the many things that make Shariat an “inspiration,” this one stands out from JC Phelps, a local food blogger who runs the site JCP eats and knows the Shariat well.

“He radiated positivity through his food, his life and his career,” Phelps told the Courier Journal. “It was just a joy. He continued to be a beacon for food, a beacon for charity, and I know that inspired a lot of people, including me.”

At the September ceremony attended by about 200 people, Fox said it felt like a “sincere and loving goodbye.”

“So many people had to hug him and tell him they loved him,” Fox said.

And Shariat was still wearing that ‘big smile’.

As Fox said, he exemplified his motto: “Eat well. Love Life.”

“He made sure everyone was eating very well,” he said. “And he really loved life.”

Shariat is survived by his wife, Paula Barmore, three daughters, a son, a stepson and numerous grandchildren.

Contact food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on the Louisville Courier Journal: Anoosh Shariat, the Louisville chef behind Anoosh Bistro, Noosh Nosh, has died