Top chef Santi Santamaria dies at Singapore restaurant launch

Santamaria, whose restaurant in Barcelona has three Michelin stars, was participating in a publicity extravaganza for Singapore's Marina Bay Sands casino on Wednesday night.

The casino, which opened last year, was officially launching its restaurants, run by six world-famous chefs.

Santamaria had just welcomed a group of visiting media to his restaurant when he collapsed. Earlier that day, Santamaria, 53, had participated in a press conference with fellow chefs Mario Batali, Guy Savoy, Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck and Australia's Tetsuya Wakuda.

More than 200 international media representatives were at the resort for its official opening yesterday, and many, including myself, were in Santi restaurant when Santamaria collapsed. He was taken to hospital, but later died.

It is believed he suffered a heart attack.

ORIGINAL SOURCE