Burt Steven Friedman

Burt Friedman, 73, passed away surrounded by the people who loved him most. Born on August 31, 1952, in Flushing, Queens, New York, Burt carried his unmistakable New Yorker spark with him when he moved to San Antonio in 1972 and then to Austin in 1975—a city that would become his home in every sense.

Burt began his career as a chef, helping open all of the Jim’s restaurants in Austin and bringing his passion for food to life through hard work, humor, and heart. In the 1980s he continued cooking, and in the 1990s he bought an old Dodge police car, painted it yellow, and joined the Austin Yellow Checkered Cab Company—beginning a chapter full of stories, characters, and everyday adventures. He later went on to work for the Nash family at Capitol Chevrolet, where he built lasting relationships before retiring in 2014.

Burt is survived by his wife, Sharon, his partner of 50 years; his four loving children; and seven grandchildren who brought him endless joy and laughter.

If you knew Burt, you knew he loved cooking—and especially eating. Food was one of his purest love languages. You knew something was good when he said “choice.” His hot sauce became part of Austin lore, earning him several wins at the Austin Hot Sauce Festival and a place in The Austin Chronicle’s Hot Sauce Hall of Flame. Sharing food was his way of sharing himself, and if he cooked for you, you were loved.

Sports were another defining part of Burt’s life. Baseball was his true passion—his first love and the one he never let go of. He grew up playing it, teaching it, debating it, and cheering for it with the kind of devotion only he could bring. He watched just about every game he could find, and while he loved football and especially golf, baseball was the heartbeat of his sports world. He spent countless days at Zilker Park or throwing frisbee golf with his buddies, always happiest with sunshine on his face and the outdoors around him.

He loved Austin—the parks, the people, the food, the music, the whole heartbeat of the city. And he was, without question, the biggest Grateful Deadheads you’re ever going to meet. Burt didn’t just know the songs; he knew every set from every show, the dates, the recordings, the stories. His passion for the Dead was legendary, and if you ever talked music with him, he probably left you with a fun fact you didn’t know you needed.

More than anything, Burt was magnetic, witty, and full of personality. He was real—deeply real—and could strike up a conversation with anyone. It was the New Yorker in him; he never met a stranger, only friends he hadn’t made yet. His warmth, humor, and big personality filled every room he walked into.

“Who loves ya, baby?”

If you know, you know.

Burt will be missed beyond measure and loved forever.

A visitation will be held at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, located at 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749, on December 12, 2025, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The funeral service will follow at the same location on December 12, 2025, at 1:00 pm.

Graveside service will follow in Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park, located at 6300 W William Cannon Dr, Austin, TX 78749, on December 12, 2025.