As the Director of Food Services at Tampa Bay Downs from 1996-2013, Richard “Dick” Toda tried to make the dining experience as memorable for patrons as the afternoon's racing action.
“We set our standards here as high as possible,” Toda said in a 2012 interview. “When somebody comes up to me and says 'I just had the greatest meal here,' I get a high from that.”
Toda, who also worked as the track's Director of Client Services from 2013-2019 and was on the board of the Tampa Bay Downs Division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, died peacefully Thursday at 85.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Lucille, and daughters Rene (Raffa) and her husband George; Lisa (Alexander) and her husband Mark; Michelle (Schultz) and her husband Brian; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister, Patricia (Di Giacobbe) and her husband Fred.
Toda was pre-deceased by two sons, Richard and Michael, and a grandson.
While it's accurate to say food was a lifelong passion for the Warren, Ohio native, Thoroughbred racing and its countless characters, as well as people in general, sparked a joie de vivre Toda shared with everyone he met.
“He was a gracious person who loved life and enjoyed being around all kinds of people,” Lucille said. “We traveled to about 17 European countries, and no one was a stranger to him.”
Toda also loved cooking gourmet meals for Lucille, specializing in Mediterranean dishes from France and Italy.
A graduate of Youngstown State (Ohio) University, Toda – who raced pigeons as a young man with his father, August Toda, Sr., and several uncles – owned five restaurants with Lucille in Tampa, including the downtown Ole Style Deli. Toda struck up a friendship in the early 1980s with Tampa attorney and racetrack owner Stella F. Thayer, who made it a habit to eat at the restaurant.
Thayer gave him a yearly pass to the races, and Toda tried attending every Saturday. He became good friends with Thayer's late husband, Bronson Thayer, as well, and when she decided to upgrade the racetrack's food service, it was a “no-brainer” who to call.
From the beginning, Toda placed an emphasis on quality, originality and friendliness, while seeking input from everyone from the $2 bettor to millionaire owners about what the track could do better.
“Dick came to Tampa Bay Downs to oversee and initiate the operation of food service for the racetrack and brought his expertise and friendly customer service for the benefit of all,” Thayer said. “All involved with Tampa Bay Downs mourn his passing and send condolences to his wife Lucy and his family.”
In his first two years at Tampa Bay Downs, the Skye Terrace kitchen was rebuilt and the Sports Gallery underwent a complete overhaul. His attention to detail helped to attract a diverse customer base, including late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and prominent Thoroughbred owner Satish Sanan, both of whom sought Toda's company on their frequent visits to the Oldsmar oval.
Toda owned a few horses with Steinbrenner, who called him several times a week, picking his brain about the track's trainers and jockeys as well as seeking his opinions about baseball players.
Mostly, “we would talk about life,” Toda recalled. In 2001, he flew with Steinbrenner on the owner's Learjet to Saratoga to watch his homebred filly Dream Supreme compete in the Grade I Ballerina Handicap.
As a younger man, Toda played a high level of amateur tennis, and his love for the sport continued throughout life. He attended Wimbledon, the French Open at Stade Roland Garros and the U.S. Open. He entertained family and friends on the piano and was a cherished golf partner with a knack for making other players forget how difficult that sport was.
Through the (mostly) ups and downs, Lucille was his guiding light.
“Any time I've thought I can't,” he said in that 2012 interview, “she has been there to reaffirm 'Yes, you can.' She would never allow me not to do my best and has always been my inspiration.”
For many others, memories of Dick Toda will continue to inspire.
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