"Both restaurants will be closed Aug. 25-27 to allow our family and staff to grieve our great loss."
He is survived by his wife, Susan, his son, Julian, and his mother, Ita. No details about Abramof's cause of death or funeral services were available.
Peter Rubin, head of The Coral Company, was at Shaker Square on Saturday morning after learning about the passing of his friend and tenant.
"There's a crowd gathered on the patio he created at Sarava," he said.
"The restaurant's not open and they may not know that Sergio is gone, but they are enjoying a space and energy he created. He was such a warm and engaging and generous person."
"I'm just devastated," said Doug Katz, owner of Fire Food and Drink, also located at Shaker Square. "He was my good friend, business mentor, and he helped build a great restaurant community here. It's just surreal thinking of him not being here."
Iron Chef Michael Symon shared his thoughts with his followers on Facebook and Twitter early Saturday morning. "Shocked and saddened to hear about sergio abramof...RIP my friend..you will be missed...thoughts & prayers to his family," he posted.
Abramof opened Sarava at Shaker Square after his success with Sergio's in University Circle. He was known for blending exacting culinary skills with flavors from his native Brazil.
He opened the restaurants after serving as chef at Giovanni's Ristorante and several successful years in catering.
His restaurants have been featured in The New York Times, Gourmet Magazine, Food and Wine Magazine, Travel Holiday Magazine, Money Magazine, We Magazine and Cleveland Ethnic Eats.
His recipes have been published in Chefs of Cleveland, The Dinah Shore Cookbook, The Joy of Grilling, Dining in Cleveland and The Best of the Midwest.
