A chef who rose to fame for crafting mini crème brûlée’s on the streets of San Francisco has died from an aortic aneurysm at just 46 years old, his family announced.
Curtis Kimball became a fixture in the community after he launched the infamous Crème Brûlée Cart, which attracted Californians from all over to sample his mini desserts.
‘We’re devastated to share that our beloved Crème Brûlée Guy turned Pancake Guy, Curtis Kimball, tragically passed away earlier this week,’ his family wrote on his X account.
‘He had a [heart] as big as his love for food, family, and community. He brought people together — one brûlée, one pancake, and one laugh at a time.’
Kimball was a father to three girls and his wife, Nicole Belanger, is expecting a baby boy this summer.
‘He was always so eager to put on a party for people without any expectations of getting anything in return,’ Belanger told the San Francisco Chronicle.
‘He just had a desire to connect with people and to be a force for others to connect with each other.’
Kimball gained national notoriety for his pancake parties that brought the community together after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Curtis Kimball, 46, died after suffering an aortic aneurysm resulting in an emergency open heart surgery, his family announced
Kimball’s family said that despite the notoriety he gained from his cooking skills, his greatest accomplishment was starting a family with his wife, Nicole
After lockdown, Kimball was looking for a way to connect with neighbors and used his cooking skills as the catalyst.
He hung flyers up over the neighborhood that cheekily read, ‘My wife says I’m getting weird. She says I need to make friends. So I’m making pancakes.’
Kimball included his address on the flyer and advertised the ‘best pancakes’ with chocolate chips, maple syrup, butter and more.
Not only did his neighbors show up for pancakes, but the trend caught on and he continued to host the events for the San Francisco community.
‘I actually didn’t know what to expect at all and I was terrified setting up for it. Even putting up the flyers made me nervous and self-conscious,’ Kimball told Today in 2022.
‘Like, this could be a really dumb idea and everyone might hate it. But the first people showed up right away, they lived two doors down and they were very excited.’
Kimball told the outlet more than 75 people attended his first pancake party and he made over 125 pancakes for his neighbors.
His infamous parties even caught the attention of the Washington Post and Drew Barrymore, who praised him on her daytime talk show.
The chef set up a griddle on the street and flipped pancakes for members of the community who were looking for connections after the pandemic.
Kimball advertised his pancake parties on the street and saw increased turnout for each event
Kimball was a father to two girls and his wife is pregnant with a baby boy, due in the summer
Kimball was no stranger to cooking on the street, as he left his construction job in 2008 to launch his viral Crème Brûlée Cart.
He became known on social media as the ‘crème brûlée guy,’ selling the mini desserts for just $3 each.
‘But it’s more than just handing someone something for money. It’s something they can participate in,’ he told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2009.
Kimball’s cart grew to become a pivotal part of San Francisco’s vital street food scene.
He began working with Matthew Cohen, who founded the city’s Off the Grid food truck events, which launched the same year.
‘He had a real notion for giving people a unique experience,’ Cohen told SF Chronicle.
Kimball posted his location daily on social media and pushed the cart around the city with his brother, Brian, who ran the Magic Curry Cart.
After gaining a cult following online, Kimball expanded his business to a brick-and-mortar shop and a mall cart.
‘Yes, he gave thousands of people an incredible dessert, but it was more than that – he created a community of enthusiastic followers and admiring employees, many of whom he still kept in touch with,’ his family wrote in an online tribute.
Kimball is survived by his wife Nicole, daughter Harper, 7, and Eloise, 4
Kimball shared his idea for the pancake parties on social media as a way to connect the community after isolation during the pandemic
Kimball had a love for San Francisco but was born in Prescott, Arizona. He grew up visiting the Bay Area with dreams of moving to California, according to his family’s tribute.
‘His community-driven spirit and love of bringing people together over simple, delicious food garnered a lot of media attention and created countless laughs, full bellies and new friends,’ his tribute read.
Kimball’s friends have set up a GoFundMe to support his family after his sudden death. As of Tuesday morning, the fundraiser has garnered more than $54,000 toward its goal of $75,000.
‘More than any business accomplishment or New York Times mention, Curtis’s proudest moment during this time was meeting and marrying his wife Nicole, with whom he would blissfully go on to build their family,’ the GoFundMe description read.
Kimball leaves behind his wife Nicole, daughter Harper, 7, and Eloise, 4.
