figmo | RIP Andy Purshottam (Reply)

I got the bad news from

sfo2lhr that my friend Andy Purshottam died at his home in Kensington sometime last week. I don't know the details yet, but I'm in shock.

There aren't a lot of folks I can think of who are universally liked by everyone who meets them. I'm sure as heck not one of them! Andy was one of those folks. I always enjoyed running into him at parties and other events, as he always had something interesting to say.

The memory of him that keeps coming into my head the most is of a Kabuki West dinner years ago. Andy was sitting to my right and was weaseling a family recipe out of the guy sitting across from him. The cuisine had nothing to do with what we were eating that night, but Andy was a big-time foodie.

I was surprised to learn he was born in Bombay, India. I had always assumed he was California-born because he embraced and understood all the different cultures around him and was always eager to learn more. OTOH, he and his parents came to the U.S. when he was two years old. I don't think he ever went back to India.

I hadn't seen him in a while, but I figured it was due to my schedule being overloaded rather than something weird about his. I still don't know whether his death was expected or a shocker to those who saw him on a regular basis. I do know it's a shocker to me.

Andy, rest in peace. If there is good food wherever you are, be prepared to point it out to the rest of us when we join you.