Chris Osborn, well-known figure in Valley’s food & beverage world, dies at 46

Chris Osborn, a beloved figure in the Valley’s food and beverage community for three decades, passed away Tuesday. He was just 46.

The Scottsdale native, known as ‘‘Oz’’ to his many friends, began working in restaurants at age 14. He eventually became a chef, a general manager, and even an owner (most notably of the former Cadillac Ranch at Tempe Marketplace).

Since 2011, though, Osborn had focused on restaurant consulting and restaurant real estate, working with hundreds of owners, chefs, and others in the F&B industry.

In a Thanksgiving Day post on Facebook, Osborn wrote:

‘‘Today for me is just a day of gratitude not because the country says so, but because I am grateful to have the time to reflect. … I’m so fortunate to have awesome people in my life that care about and believe in my efforts to make people’s lives better.’’

Rest in peace, Chris.