Egon Ronay, the dapper Hungarian food critic who stamped his name indelibly on British culinary history, has died at the age of 94.
Ronay died yesterday morning at his home near Yattendon, Berkshire, with his wife Barbara and two daughters by his side, having been ill for a number of weeks, according to his friend Nick Ross, the broadcaster. He had never retired and just a few weeks ago was telling friends about new projects he had in the pipeline with the BBC.
Ross, who had known Ronay for many years, said: “He was, in the most literal sense, incredible, right up until the last few weeks of his life. He was sharp as a button. We went for a tasting with him four months ago and he had this remarkable ability to taste flavours in anything.
“Right up until his death, even young chefs regarded him as the monarch. He was a tiny man but had no airs and graces about him, and yet he was almost fawned upon by restaurateurs right up until his last illness.”