Former LSU football player and famous local restaurant owner Ruffin Rodrigue has died

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – A local legend on the gridiron and in the restaurant business is dead.

Ruffino’s Restaurant released this statement about their founders passing:

Ruffino’s is saddened to announce that owner and founder, Ruffin Rodrigue Jr., passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on November 24, 2020. The staff extend their thoughts and prayers to his family during this time.

Ruffino’s will remain open in order to help guests with their Thanksgiving needs – continuing to Celebrate Life the way Ruffin would have wanted.

Ruffin Rodrigue was the founder and owner of Ruffino’s restaurant with locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, and was a former LSU football player, playing for the Tigers from 1986 to 1989.

Prior to his death, Ruffin was a vocal advocate for Louisiana restaurants, fighting for grants and relief for restaurants hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Ruffin Rodrigue began his journey with Ruffino’s in 1998 with an understanding that he wanted to create something special, and not just another restaurant. His goal was to develop a place where people could come to Celebrate Life, regardless of the occasion.

This philosophy, or way of thinking, can be traced back to Ruffin’s childhood when he often worked with his father preparing graves at the cemetery – teaching him early on how important life is, and that each moment we have to celebrate with friends, family and loved ones is priceless.

As a football player at LSU Ruffin learned another valuable lesson that would provide the foundation of things to come – that hard work always pays off when you love what you do.

Updates will be provided as more information on his services become available.

Rodrigue had restaurant locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

Ruffin Rodrigue played for LSU from 1986 to 1989.