Dean Corbett, a beloved Louisville restaurateur, died suddenly on Saturday.

Corbett was most well-known for Equus & Jack's Lounge and Corbett's an American Place, but he was also involved in several charities in the community.

He died from a heart attack, according to Gary Fox, Equus's event coordinator. The unexpected loss hit the restaurant community hard Saturday evening, according to a number of social media posts.

Corbett arrived in the Louisville restaurant scene in 1982 and brought his skills to Casa Grisanti, a Northern Italian gem, and later took on the sous chef position at Sixth Avenue. He purchased Equus in 1985.

Dean Corbett recipes:As we say goodbye to chef Dean Corbett, look back at his best recipes

Corbett opened his namesake restaurant in December 2007. At that time, it was one of just a few businesses located near the adjacent section of Brownsboro Road, and the restaurant is credited with helping spur development in that area.

Corbett's quickly became a large presence in the Louisville dining scene, hosting well-attended fundraisers and serving regular customers multiple times a week. Corbett’s closed last year.

He recently sold Equus, but stayed on as chef emeritus, according to Fox. Corbett was still at the restaurant at least once a week.

Social media posts honoring Corbett began hitting early Saturday evening from a variety of chefs in the area. Posts called him "a culinary icon" and a thanked him for all he'd done for the Louisville culinary scene.

Corbett was in the restaurant business long before some of his employees learned to turn on a stove, Courier Journal columnist Nancy Miller wrote in 2014.

"He has been central to Louisville’s transformation from a picture of culinary mediocrity to one that’s bustling with culinary options and megawatt chefs," she said in the column.

Giving back to the community was a priority for Corbett, Fox said.

He was involved in a number of events that supported causes such as juvenile diabetes, juvenile autism, multiple sclerosis and the American Heart Association.

The restaurant is grieving tonight, but the staff is pushing forward in Corbett’s honor, Fox told the Courier Journal Saturday evening.

He was the type of business owner who invested and cared about his employees, Fox said. Once Corbett treated more than 50 members of his staff to a three-day getaway. He spent the whole time cooking for everyone to show appreciation for all that they’d done for him.

“I’ll just never forget him at the stove,” Fox said.

The staff at Equus has a busy night ahead, Fox said. They’re all working in his honor this evening.

“He would have wanted it to carry on,” Fox said. “So that’s what we’re doing.”

Read this: Corbett's Restaurant closes one month before its 10-year anniversary

See also: Corbett's pastry chef: You don't need formal training to nail a good dessert

City Living reporter Maggie Menderski covers retail, restaurants and development in downtown and its nearby urban neighborhoods. Reach Maggie at 502-582-7137 or cityliving@courierjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MaggieMenderski. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/maggiem.