The Dog From The YouTube Channel Cooking With Dog Has Passed Away

The titular pooch from the web series Cooking With Dog has joined the skateboarding pug in YouTube’s little corner of dog heaven. Francis, a poodle who narrated Japanese cooking techniques for an audience of more than 1.2 million subscribers, has passed away at the age of 14.

Cooking With Dog, which published its first video back in 2007, combined a simple cooking show shell with a cute animal who was impossible for the Internet to resist. Each week, Francis and his human companion (who is only ever referred to as “Chef”) brought their viewers a new recipe from the world of traditional Japanese cooking. As Chef toiled away to prepare soups, noodles, curries, meats, and other dishes, Francis served as the avatar for the show’s disembodied, thickly-accented narrator, who offered step-by-step instructions.

Francis was a key part of Cooking With Dog’s success. As the story goes, the poodle was initially included in the show in order to make the Chef, who had no previous on-screen experience, more comfortable. Ultimately, they ended up sharing the spotlight, with Chef’s kitchen skills and Francis’ cuteness forming a dynamic partnership.

Now that Francis has passed away, the future of Cooking With Dog is unclear. Even if the show does not continue, there are more 300 episodes available for our viewing pleasure. Here’s one you can watch today in order to pay your respects to one of YouTube’s finest canines: