Famed NYC Chef James Kent Behind Crown Shy, Saga Dies At 45

NEW YORK CITY — Acclaimed NYC-born chef James Kent of Crown Shy and Saga fame died “unexpectedly” on Saturday, according to a social media post from Saga.

The cause of Kent’s death was a heart attack, The New York Times reported. The chef was in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood assisting a restaurant with graffiti art, one of his first passions.

“The Saga Hospitality Group family is focused on supporting each other and most importantly [Kent’s wife] Kelly [and children] Gavin and Avery as we grieve James’ loss,” Kent’s restaurant group wrote in a statement on Saturday. “Celebrate Father’s Day with your loved ones.”

Kent had previously worked at swanky Big Apple eateries such as Eleven Madison Park, Babbo and NoMad. Throughout the weekend, chefs from across New York City and beyond poured messages of support online.

“If you were a chef in the city, you knew him,” Danny Garcia, the executive chef of Saga Hospitality Group’s new restaurant at 360 Park Avenue South, told Grub Street. “You had a moment with him; he touched you in some way, whether it was for five seconds or a series of years.”

Kent’s first restaurant Crown Shy opened in 2019; the space was later expanded to accommodate Saga (which touts a seasonal tasting menu priced at $298 per person), cocktail bar Overstory and a private dining room.

The ambitious chef had several other projects in the works, from a 3,000-square-foot space in the former Domino Sugar refinery for a restaurant and bakery, as well as a 140-seat restaurant on Park Avenue in Manhattan.

Kent was also planning a fast-casual fried chicken eatery, per The Robb Report.