Contributions for Beloved Chef Arthur Gonzalez

Chef Arthur Gonzalez suffered a heart attack on May 7th in his Castle Rock, Colorado home. He was airlifted to Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver early Sunday morning to receive more advanced care. He was placed in a medically induced coma to help stabilize his condition, and two surgeries were performed while he was placed on a ventilator to provide breathing support. Despite extensive efforts to stabilize and improve his condition, tragically, Chef Arthur Gonzalez passed peacefully in the presence of friends and loved ones on May 10th, 2022.

 

Chef Art Gonzalez was an amazing husband, brother, father, friend, mentor, chef, community leader and human being - the list could go on. He leaves behind the love of his life, wife Vanessa Auclair, 3 dogs, Prince, Cash & Gracie, family and friends, two restaurants, Panxa Cocina & Tribe at Riverwalk, an unwavering community and an influential legacy.

 

Chef Art wanted to be a firefighter and he discovered his passion for cooking in the firehouse kitchen. He then went on to Seal Beach restaurant, Spaghettini, as a dishwasher. This humble beginning for Chef gave him the opportunity to train in the kitchen. Two years after starting at Spaghettini, Chef Gonzalez was the pastry/sous chef at local legend Mahé before moving to New Mexico. His love for New Mexican cuisine, which was cultivated by his Oaxacan grandmother, sharing traditional recipes with him as a young boy, turned into his culinary passion while starting a mentorship with James Beard, award-winning Chef Eric Distefano of Coyote Café and Geronimo. After meeting, now wife, Vanessa Auclair, they moved to Long Beach, CA where they began their quest to change the Long beach food scene forever.

 

As one of the most influential chefs in Long Beach, Chef Art went on to create Roe Seafood, Panxa Cocina and The Hideaway. With expansion always on his mind, they moved to Castle Rock, Colorado in 2020 to create Tribe at Riverwalk, Tribe Catering and Watchfire Excursions.

 

This devasting and untimely passing of Chef Art has left us all heartbroken. Art was so many things to so many people and we want to celebrate his life exactly how he intended to live. He was a true visionary, and his influence has left a lasting impression on everyone he met. He has been an inspiration for many chefs and industry people to follow their dreams and create community with one another. Chef Art genuinely believed in the dreams of others and wanted to help in any way that he could. His impact will forever be felt and his prescence is irreplaceable.

 

We have created this GoFundMe to assist his wife, Vanessa, with the catastrophic financial burden this tragedy has brought upon her with medical bills and funeral costs. As much as we all loved Chef Art, we love Vanessa, aka Mama, just as much. Any support and relief we can offer as a community would be beyond appreciated. Mama needs all the support and love we can provide - and we know everyone will show up in a way only Chef could inspire.

 

We love you Chef Art.

You will be missed forever, and your legacy will live on through all of us.

 

Mama Vanessa, we are here with you every step of the way.