The culinary world is saddened by the loss of Homaru Cantu of Chicago’s Michelin rated Moto. While I didn’t know Chef Cantu well, our two day photo shoot for a special Intel project has always stood out to me. Given the length of time of the shoot, a rare event occurred between photographer and subject…we got to know one another and get comfortable interacting authentically. It was apparent to me that Chef Cantu didn’t accept the conventional standard, and put his own unique twist on all he did.

Chef Cantu allowed his fun personality to shine through, and we took the photo shoot out back while he and his crew shot hoops.

Chef Cantu was among a small vanguard of culinary talent consumed with the role of science in the kitchen. He had a sharp intellect and was always inquisitive in pairing items you’d find in a laboratory with high-end cuisine. In fact, he held six patents for his inventions.

His loss to the industry is devastating, and his ideas on ways he could use his skills to help the less fortunate could affect an entire population struggling with hunger.