Jean-Robert de Cavel facts for kids
De Cavel at the 2015 Cincinnati Food + Wine Classic
|
|
| Born | September 12, 1961 Roubaix, France |
|---|---|
| Died | December 23, 2022 (aged 61) |
| Cooking style | French |
| Education | Le Feguide, Lille, France. |
| Spouse | Annette Pfund de Cavel |
|
Current restaurant(s)
Jean-Robert's Table, French Crust Cafe, Le Bar a Boeuf, Eat at John-Bob's, Restaurant L, Frenchie Fresh
|
|
|
Award(s) won
|
|
Jean-Robert de Cavel (September 12, 1961 – December 23, 2022) was a French-American celebrity chef in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was Chef de cuisine at The Maisonette from 1993 to 2002, Executive chef at Jean-Robert at Pigall's from 2002 to 2009, and later operated Jean-Robert's Table, Le Bar a Boeuf and French Crust Cafe. He and his wife founded the de Cavel Family SIDS Foundation, which runs Eat.Play.Give: Friends and Family SIDS Brunch, a culinary event that is the country's largest SIDS fundraiser.
Personal life
De Cavel was born in Roubaix, France on September 12, 1961. He was educated at Le Feguide culinary school in Lille, France. He and his wife Annette Pfund de Cavel lived in Newport, Kentucky with their daughter Laeticia.
De Cavel was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leiomyosarcoma in May 2018. He died on December 23, 2022, at the age of 61.
Philanthropy
In 2003 de Cavel and his wife Annette founded the de Cavel Family SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Foundation following the death of their first child, Tatiana. Since then it has grown annually to become the largest SIDS fundraiser in the country.
Professional career
De Cavel worked in Zermatt, Antibes, the British West Indies, and New York City before moving to Cincinnati in 1993 to become Chef de cuisine at The Maisonette, which earned 5 stars from Mobil during his time there. He left in 2002 to join a partnership to run his own restaurants Jean-Robert at Pigall's, which became Ohio's only Mobil four-star restaurant. With his partners he went on to open JeanRo Bistro, Pho Paris, Greenup Cafe, Twist, and Lavomatic Cafe, all located in the greater Cincinnati area. In 2009 he left the partnership to start Jean-Robert's Table in 2010, French Crust in 2011, Le Bar a Boeuf in 2014 and Eat at Jean-Bob's in 2015, and Restaurant L and Frenchie Fresh in 2016. He has been called "arguably the most recognizable chef in town" and "one of the region's most well-known chefs".
Teaching
Since 2009 he has been chef-in-residence at the Midwest Culinary Institute.
Recognition
De Cavel was four times a semifinalist for the James Beard Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013. He received three James Beard nominations for Best Chef in the Midwest in 2000, 2001, and 2006 and was invited to cook at the foundation's Greenwich Village headquarters, six times.
During his tenure The Maisonette received five stars from Mobil. Jean-Robert at Pigall's received four stars from Mobil and was recognized by Relais & Châteaux. In 2007 he was named a Master Chef by Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
Restaurants
De Cavel was associated with Michelin starred restaurants La Bonne Auberge in Antibes, France; The Restaurant at Malliouhana in the British West Indies; La Regence and La Gauloise in Manhattan. In Cincinnati was been associated with 5-star Mobil restaurant The Maisonette, 4-star Mobil restaurant Jean-Robert at Pigall's, JeanRo Bistro, Pho Paris, Greenup Café, Twist, Lavomatic Café, Jean-Robert's Table, French Crust, Le Bar a Boeuf Eat at Jean-Bob's, Restaurant L and Frenchie Fresh.
