Habana Cafe Chef Dies

Horace "Big Dog" Ward, who was a longtime chef at the Habana Cafe has died, according to a report by the Tampa Bay Times. 

Ward, according to the Times, was one of the first chefs hired at the Cuban restaurant, which is located at 5402 Gulfport Blvd.,

The Times reported Ward died March 6 at a hospital, which was confirmed by Habana Cafe owner Jo Gonzalez-Hastings in an interview with the Times. Ward was 56 years old.

The Habana Cafe is not the same without the man who helped shape its personality, Gonzalez-Hastings said in an interview with the Times. The purple chair where he took his break now bears a sign. It reads "Doggie's chair." For now, at least, it will remain empty.

To read the rest of Ward's obituary in the Times, click here. 

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