TULSA, Okla. -- — It was always food that brought Chris Dodge and his loved ones together.
Friends said he was happy to lend a hand both in and out of the restaurant.
"He was innovative. He really pushed the limits of things. You could always tell he knew exactly what spice or what was involved in a particular dish," Robert Irwin said.
Now the community is in shock after Dodge was struck and killed while tending to his crashed car. Those who knew the chef said their life won't be the same without him.
"He will bring friends from all different walks of life together. To know Dodge is to love Dodge," Irwin said.
Fat Guy's Burger Bar stayed busy as usual Thursday night but Dodge's friends said they're rattled as they try to process the loss.
"It hit me in the heart. It's just one of those things like when David Bowie died or Prince died. It hits you in the heart, you don't know how to react. You just kind of go online, say your "rest in peace". Later when I'm off I'll probably do some mourning with some friends," Yancy Friend said.
Friends like Irwin said they're used to having Dodge's company over the holidays, and this year there will be a void in his place.
