SPANISH chef Santi Santamaria was holding court in the kitchen
of his Marina Bay Sands (MBS) restaurant and speaking passionately
about food to some 20 members of the media when he suddenly
fainted.
Just before he had a heart attack and collapsed around 7.30pm on
Wednesday, he turned to those standing near him and said he felt
faint.
Mr Mikel Zeberio, 59, an established food writer in Spain who
was present when the chef collapsed, told The Straits Times: 'It
was very sudden. I gave him a kiss (of greeting) and three minutes
later, he had collapsed and I was holding him in my arms.'
Mr George Tanasijevich, interim chief executive of MBS and
managing director of global development with Las Vegas Sands Corp,
the parent company of MBS, said in a press statement on Thursday
that staff from the restaurant 'rendered assistance' while an
ambulance was called.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived nine minutes
later at 7.44pm. An SCDF spokesman said that when its paramedics
arrived, the chef was not breathing and had no pulse.
Paramedics began cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the restaurant
and continued en route to the Singapore General Hospital. The
53-year-old chef was pronounced dead at the hospital at around 9pm.
He is survived by his wife Angels, 53, son Paul, 27, daughter
Regina, 25, and a week-old grandson born to Paul.
-- ST
