Michael Morrisette, managing partner of The Strand House in Manhattan Beach, has passed away after a 6-month battle with COVID, according to the restaurant.

Morrisette, who had earned the title among friends and patrons as the "King of Hospitality," oversaw day-to-day operations of the restaurant while leading the front-of-house team and working alongside executive chef Craig Hopson.

The Strand House released the following statement:

"For those of you fortunate enough to know Michael, you knew that he was the kindest person you could ever meet. He had a special way about him that made everyone he came in contact with feel special and taken care of," said Michael Zislis, owner of the Strand House and head of the Zislis Group, in a statement. "Heaven is a better place today because of him."

Morrisette began his restaurant career as a youth, when he spent hours working at his family’s restaurant in Springfield, Oregon.

He had held management positions at La Cachette, Café del Rey and Maple Drive restaurants, all located in the Los Angeles area. After spending time with Daniel Abatu’s Le Gourmandin restaurant in Lyons, France, he returned to Los Angeles to help famed Chef Josiah Citrin open Melisse, rated by Zagat as the #1 French restaurant in Los Angeles, as well as a four-star Mobil Travel Guide rating.

At the Strand House, he guided a team of more than 125 servers, hosts, bartenders; striving to create "a perfect dining experience" for his guests while at the same time fostering "the ultimate work environment" for the Strand House team.

Throughout the pandemic, the Strand House has been known for its advocacy for restaurants and support for restaurant workers. In December 2020, the Strand House offered free holiday family meals for 1,000 South Bay restaurant employees who had lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

The Strand House also announced on Wednesday that it will continue its unique tradition of printing sunrise/sunset times on its menu each day - a practice that Morrisette loved.