Lee Anthony Taffaro, Jr.

Affectionately known as Leroy by his friends at Crave Restaurant, died peacefully at home in Slidell with his parents and sister at his side on Monday, May 13, 2024, after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer, just six days before his 45th birthday. 

Lee, Jr. is survived by his parents, Lee, Sr. and Sharon (Brunner) formerly of St. Bernard Parish and his sister Denise Taffaro Shiffer. He is also survived by his loving nephews Diego and Declan, a large and loving family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, his best friend Chad Roig, a host of Crave friends and colleagues, and the cherished family Golden Doodle, Bleu. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents William Frank and Daisy Reñazzo Brunner, Jr., his paternal grandparents, Anthony and Elsie Taffaro, and uncles Craig Taffaro, Sr. and Russell Brunner. 

Lee Taffaro, Jr. was born on May 19, 1979.  He was a lifelong resident of St. Bernard Parish and received his sacraments of initiation at St. Mark Catholic Church in Chalmette.  While Hurricane Katrina pushed the family to Slidell, Lee maintained his St. Bernard roots and would return to spend most of his days and evenings in St. Bernard at Crave Restaurant which he helped open with owner, Chad Roig. He attended St. Bernard High School and the Nunez Community College Culinary Arts program which ignited his love of cooking and baking, a love first instilled in him by his mother and shared with his sister. This love for cooking and his tasty palate led him into a career, filled with passion for cooking.  

Lee’s passion seemed to grow in the food world at every place he found himself.  Lee began his professional journey at Barrister’s Restaurant, learned his Asian cooking flare at Styx in Chalmette, and landed his first major kitchen role at the Sun Ray Grill in New Orleans, where he grew into a recognized kitchen talent for ten years. At virtually every step in his career, his love for cooking and seeing people enjoy his food was the trademark of who Lee was. Lee’s laid-back style, gentleness, and patience were the ingredients that forever impacted his employees, colleagues, and those who called Lee “friend”.  If you knew Lee, you loved him and if he knew you, you knew his genuine love immediately.  

During his tour at Sun Ray Grill, an incredible bond had developed with a fellow manager who would become his best friend, which friendship would ultimately be the impetus to establish Crave Restaurant in Meraux.  In 2014 he joined owner Chad Roig to open Crave where Lee was known as the “backbone and an integral part to the restaurant’s success” over the past ten years.  As Head Chef, a role he cherished dearly, Lee was always willing to share his knowledge and passion for food and enjoyed seeing others develop an appetite for cooking, enjoying his dishes, and beginning their own path in the food world.  Lee remained at his post at Crave until June of 2023 when his cancer demanded a refocus of his passion.

Who Lee proved to be in the food world was the very essence of who he was, period. His love of God and his family were at the essence of what others experienced with Lee. Out of his devotion to God came his kind-hearted, generous, and fun-loving expression and his love of life. And despite his illness that would take his life, Lee continued to be who he was, remaining the same gentle, kind-hearted, generous, and fun-loving person until his death. He never questioned his illness or his fate. He accepted it and remained grateful for the many blessings his life included.

When not in the kitchen, Lee found great joy in the outdoors, and despite his one-and-done deer hunt and his first kill with his father, a life-long avid hunter, he remained a lover of fishing, camping, and travelling, with one of his most memorable trips being his visit to Viet Nam.  In addition to his talent in the flower garden, where he grew beautiful Dahlias, Zinnias, and Sunflowers among others, Lee was practicing the farm to table concept all of his adult life, using his home-grown seasonal herbs and vegetables to compliment his creations from his own kitchen.

A Catholic Funeral Mass is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 12:00 Noon at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Violet, LA.  Visitation will begin with Family Visitation from 9:00AM - 9:30AM, public visitation from 9:30AM until the Mass. Burial will take place at a later date.  A reception will be held at Crave Restaurant following the funeral.  Family, friends, and colleagues are welcome to attend and celebrate Lee, Jr’s. life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. The Taffaro family is grateful for the outpouring of support during this time of loss and over the past year and would like to especially recognize the staff at the Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center for their genuine love for Lee and their professionalism, Livingston of New Orleans for the generous donations, Sisterhood of St. Bernard Benefit Group, and Chad Roig and Crave Restaurant for the never ending and generous support.

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