Brian Hirsty, executive chef for the Bluewater Grill, died March 10 following a recent diagnosis of a rare bone marrow disease. He was 47.
Hirsty grew up in Southern California. He would often awake before the sun rose, eager to spend time with local fishermen arriving with the day's catch, according to an online restaurant memorial tribute.
He would use the fish to practice recipes from the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook, the tribute continued, creating dishes praised by his earliest fan: his brother.
In 1996, after working in restaurants in high school and training with several hotel kitchens for about a decade, Bluewater Grill co-founders Jim Ulcickas and Rick Staunton hired Hirsty to work for the original Bluewater Grill restaurant, in Newport Beach.
"Chef Brian," as coworkers called him, was the only skinny chef you could trust, Ulcickas said.
Hirsty was always in motion, Ulcickas added, whether he was talking with customers, meeting with a vendor or working with an employee.