Famed food critic and longtime New York City resident Josh Ozersky was found dead in a Chicago hotel room Monday, authorities say.
Ozersky's body was found inside the Conrad Chicago Hotel shortly before noon, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Ozersky, who had recently moved to Portland, Oregon, was visiting the Windy City for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Awards.
Ozersky was a former James Beard Award winner and had received several nominations during his career. He was also on the awards committee of the 2015 James Beard Awards, which were presented Monday night in Chicago.
The 47-year-old wrote for Esquire and was one of the founding editors of New York magazine's Grub Street blog. He also founded the Meatopia food festival.
Esquire announced Ozersky's death in a series of tweets early on Tuesday.
""It's difficult to express how much we'll miss his fervor, uniquely carnivorous tastes, and unyielding candor. May he rest in peace," Esquire said in one of the tweets.
Other food writers in New York City took to social media to express condolences
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"RIP my friend, Josh, who wrote beautifully about many things besides hamburgers," tweeted Adam Platt, a restaurant critic with New York magazine.
An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, according to the medical examiner's office. A cause of death was not immediately known.
