Ben Byruch, the husband of former “Top Chef” contestant Leah Cohen, has died. He was 44.
The news was announced Thursday in a statement shared on Instagram by Pig & Khao, the restaurant Cohen and Byruch co-founded.
“We are heartbroken to share the passing of Ben Byruch — husband to our chef and owner, Leah Cohen, devoted father, son, brother and friend to so many,” the statement read.
“Ben was the co-founder of Pig & Khao and its creative heart,” the statement continued. “His vision shaped who we are, and his warmth, passion and sense of humor touched everyone lucky enough to know him.”
The statement also asked for privacy for Cohen and her family, adding, “We will miss him more than words can say.”
Byruch’s cause of death was not immediately known.
Cohen and Byruch married in July 2016, according to the Daily Mail, and went on to welcome two children together.
Cohen, who competed on Season 5 of “Top Chef” between 2008 and 2009, gave birth to her and Byruch’s first child, a son named Carter Graham, in 2019.
“Our little Carter is a vampire,” Cohen exclusively told Page Six at the time. “He sleeps all day and is up all night!”
She said she “knew” she was expecting a boy before learning the baby’s sex, adding, “Then they said it. I was thrilled. I’m, like, a tomboy.”
The “Great American Recipe” judge also shared that Carter was born 11 days early, which came as an “adjustment” for both her and Byruch.
“We were 95% ready, but the 5% that wasn’t ready [was important], like the bassinet,” she added.
At the time, Cohen also said she wasn’t quite ready to think about having another child. “If I decide to have another kid — not anytime soon,” she told Page Six.
The couple welcomed their second child, another son named Baker Scott, in 2022.
Earlier this month, Cohen shared photos on Instagram from a family trip to Hawaii, where the family of four attended the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.
In the photos, Cohen and Byruch posed alongside Carter and Baker, with the “Tournament of Champions” contestant writing in the caption, “Second time in Hawaii and I’m even more in love.”
“I’m grateful I get to do what I love, travel the world and make these memories with my family,” Cohen added.
A GoFundMe has been launched in Byruch’s memory to support Cohen and their two sons following his death.
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