Etobicoke firefighters are mourning the death of a well-respected colleague who is being praised for his firehall finger-licking culinary skills.

Brian Malcolm Muir, who was dubbed ‘Big Bud,’ by his many colleagues, passed away peacefully on June 17 surrounded by his loving family at his Mississauga home. He was 75.

Muir served for 31 years as a firefighter for the Etobicoke Fire Department. He took part in fighting many big blazes over the years.

He was predeceased by his wife Emilia. Cherished father of Ian and  Cindy, Jason, Scott and Elaine. He loved his grandchildren: Ariel, Mickayla, Devin and Dylan. Brother of Hall, Sharon and Kevin.

Peter Zaremba, who worked alongside Muir, called ‘Big Bud’ a ‘firefighter’s firefighter.”

He was “a man larger than life with a smile and a spirit to match,” recalls Zaremba. “Brian was the firehall chef for all my years working with him. His meals were always top notch and were envied by other firehalls.”

He said his co-worker ‘will be missed. Godspeed my friend.”

Retired Etobicoke firefighter Paul Dodds says Brian was well known for his great meals.

“He was an amazing cook and one of the nicest men you would ever want to meet,” Dodds laments.

Other co-workers remember that Muir always left food in the firehall fridge for colleagues from other shifts.

Social media was lit up as Muir’s many friends over the years paid tribute to him

“R.I.P. Big Bud! A true great guy!” wrote Doug Gordon.

“He was a great man, great cook, and was the unofficial Etobicoke Fire Dept. photographer,” said Kevin Tweddle. “RIP Brian.”

“We on D shift loved following A shift Thursdays as that was fridge day and there were always great leftovers Brian cooked the night before,” recalls David Smith.

“Big bud was one of the best and there are no others like him,” mourns Tom George. “He was a great cook, great firefighter and a great man. RIP Bud.”

“He was one of the nicest guys on the job,” admits Glen Johnston. “He was not a good cook. He was a great cook. He could take an old shoe and make it taste like the best stake you ever had.”

Steve Yurg said ‘Big Bud’ taught him so much about fire and life as they worked together until he retired.

“He was one of the best cooks ever,” Yurg notes.