Dinosaur Bar-B-Que head chef dies
Outpouring of praise for Jeffrey “Cooter” Coon as foods gain prominence
D
inosaur Bar-B-Que’s executive chef Jeffrey “Cooter” Coon died Thursday, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported. Coon, who worked for Dinosaur for 16 years, helped establish its restaurant along the Hudson River in downtown Troy, as well as other Dinosaurs in Rochester, Harlem, Newark and in Stamford, Conn.
No cause of death was given.
Coon most recently visited the Troy restaurant in late February, and talked about how, despite its expansion and an investment by billionaire George Soros, Dinosaur hadn’t changed.
In an interview with reporter Larry Rulison, he said that founder John Stage remained in charge.
“John (Stage), he’s right in it. When we open a restaurant, he’s right in it,” Coon said. “We try to keep the corporate out of it because it’s not what we do, and it’s not what John wants to do.”
Coon talked about Dinosaur’s suppliers, and how it strived for consistency.
“The core barbecue is the same, and our meat is the same,” Coon said. “We don’t mess around with a lot of different vendors.”
Dinosaur drew national attention last week when Forbes named it one of the nation’s top 10 barbecue spots.
“The popularity is easy to explain: the menu is broad, creative and very well priced, with lots of combo and sampler choices,” Forbes said. “(T)he food is very good and quite substantial.”
On Friday, a Facebook page quickly filled with tributes and remembrances.
Many people who knew Coon remembered him as an accomplished chef who was also fun to work with.
Those who didn’t know him nevertheless said he will be missed.
“I never met him, but I want to thank him for the wonderful food he gave to the world,” wrote one. “RIP.”
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