Fellow restaurants share condolences for Chef Wayne Hooker

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - The Springfield restaurant community is mourning the passing of Chef Wayne Hooker, who brought Cajun flavors to western Mass for decades. western mass news stopped by some local restaurants on Wednesday evening and heard from business owners about the legacy their fellow restauranter leaves behind.

“He was a wonderful chef, wonderful businessman, just a great cook, and we’re all going to miss him,” said Rita Caputo Capua, the owner of Red Rose Pizzeria. Community members in Springfield continued to mourn the loss of local Chef Wayne Hooker.

He ran the long-standing “Big Mamou” restaurant located on Liberty Street in Springfield for over two decades. the restaurant was known for it’s lively atmosphere, southern hospitality, and Cajun cuisine. “His personality and the store front they had for years really gave life to this restaurant downtown district,” said Keith Makarowski, the manager of Theodore’s Booze Blues & BBQ

While the restaurant’s original Liberty Street location closed in 2020, Chef Wayne’s legacy is now being carried on by new restaurant, the Mamou, located on Worthington Street in Springfield.

Western Mass News stopped by multiple restaurants downtown Wednesday, including Red Rose Pizzeria, and we spoke with owner and manager Rita Caputo Capua.

She told us hooker was not only a great chef, but a great man, “you know every time you talked to him, he just gave you great advice about life, whatever you’re doing keep doing it, push forward. He was so charismatic and just wonderful, wonderful man and he’s truly going to be missed.”

Other restaurant owners told us Chef Wayne was a life blood of the downtown area, “Wayne was an amazing, amazing, guy, larger than life personality as big and as bold as all the food he created,” said Makarowski

Earlier today the new Mamou Restaurant announced that they will resume normal business hours tomorrow beginning with lunch service.