Ruffino’s On The River Owner And Founder Ruffin Rodrigue Jr. Has Passed Away

Ruffino's owner and founder Ruffin Rodrigue Jr. has passed away.

The restaurant made the announcement on their official Facebook page.

According to a press release from Russo, Rodrigue passed away unexpectedly last night from a heart attack  but no other details have been made available at this time.

Rodrigue was known as a very successful restaurateur with Ruffino's locations in both Baton Rouge and Lafayette. His journey with Ruffino's began in 1998 where his goal was to "create something special" where people could come to "Celebrate Life, regardless of the occasion."

Whether it’s the food we serve or the service we provide, our goal is to ensure a remarkable experience for our guests that will always be remembered.

He also owned other enterprises and credited his success to his father and the time he spent playing football for LSU.

hard work always pays off when you love what you do

Ruffino's will remain open today to help their guests with any Thanksgiving needs and says they will provide updates "as they become available."

We will continue to update this developing story as we send thoughts and prayers to Ruffino's and the Rodrigue family.