Jean-Robert de Cavel was the father of the Cincinnati culinary industry, teaching countless chefs respect, compassion and technique. His life and legacy were recently honored on a James Beard Award-winning food podcast.
In Monday's episode of "The Sporkful," titled "A French Chef and Cincinnati: A Love Story," host Dan Pashman and Enquirer food writer Keith Pandolfi discussed de Cavel's impact on the region's culinary scene.
De Cavel, a French chef who owned and operated several fine-dining restaurants in Cincinnati, including Table, Pigalls, Le Bar a Boeuf and French Crust Cafe & Bistro, died in December 2022 at the age of 61. He had battled leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that grows in the smooth muscles, since 2018.
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"I was really happy to see that Dan Pashman had such a strong interest in covering Jean-Robert and his connection to this city," Pandolfi said. "He loves the fact that, while de Cavel could have taken his talents anywhere, he chose to stay here in Cincinnati. He loves how the city embraced him and how he embraced it right back."
Jean-Robert de Cavel chose Cincinnati
The concept of a "chosen home" was a theme throughout the 30-minute episode, as Pashman and Pandolfi traced de Cavel's culinary voyage from Lille, France, to Cincinnati. Excerpts from a 2017 interview and a recent discussion with Pandolfi were both layered throughout the episode.
According to Pandolfi, despite changes to the cultural and economic landscape of the city, Cincinnati's love of French cuisine is unwavering, as was its appreciation for de Cavel, who moved to the region from New York City to work at the Maisonette in the 1990s.
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Although his time in Cincinnati was fraught with hardships, from the premature death of his first child to the economic downturn following the 9/11 attacks, de Cavel remained loyal to the city, Pandolfi explained.
And the feeling was mutual. Audio clips of de Cavel's funeral at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati, where over 1,300 guests came to honor the fallen culinary artist, are also in the podcast episode.
"It was such a show of love and affection for this chef that came to this city so many years ago and changed the entire culinary landscape," Padolfi told Pashman.
The podcast also includes clips from Pashman's interview with de Cavel in 2018. Although de Cavel was considered an adopted son of Cincinnati, he told "The Sporkful" host he never quite understood the city's most beloved dish – chili. But this controversial opinion never stopped him from being a beloved pillar of the Cincinnati community.
"Pashman is a pretty big name in the food world and his podcast reaches a national, as well as a global audience. I’m grateful that he gave me an opportunity to share de Cavel’s story with so many people," Pandolfi said. "It meant a lot to me. I hope it meant a lot to his family and the dozens of chefs who worked for him, too."
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Jean-Robert de Cavel's Cincinnati pride has inspired an unusual dish
In the spirit of Cincinnati pride, Pashman pitched an idea to Pandolfi, inspired by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase's LSU roots: a goetta muffuletta.
Pashman's vision is a 6-foot long Italian bread with a house-made goetta that fits the flavor profile of the New Orleans sandwich. Pandolfi, who called the idea "genius," reached out to the owners of the Governor, a modern diner in Milford, which agreed to make the sandwich for Super Bowl weekend.
It will include house-made goetta, Lebanon bologna, pickle loaf, vegetable jardiniere, Crystal Hot Sauce mayo, shredded lettuce and sharp provolone cheese.
The goetta muffuletta will only be available Friday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11.
For more information, visit www.governordiner.com.
Listen to 'A French Chef and Cincinnati: A Love Story'
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