Jean-Robert de Cavel
Born in Roubaix, France, Jean-Robert’s illustrious career started when he served his culinary apprenticeship at Le Feguide restaurant in Lille, France. After completing his culinary apprenticeship, he was chosen to work under Master Chef Joe Rostang at La Bonne Auberge, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Antibes, France. Chef Rostang later sent Jean-Robert to the Mallihouana Hotel in Anguilla, British West Indies and eventually to New York City, where at 26 years old, he became the Executive Chef of Le Régence restaurant at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée. Soon after his arrival, Le Régence was given three stars by the New York Times and referred to as “one of the best French restaurants in the city.” In 1993, after eight years in New York, Jean-Robert moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to take the helm as Chef de Cuisine of the Maisonette, the longest-running Mobil five-star restaurant in the country. Jean-Robert extended Maisonette’s string of excellence, earning the restaurant eight more five-star ratings during his tenure.
In 2001, Jean-Robert left the Maisonette to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant. In a mere five years, he has made a name for himself as not only the top chef in the region, but a great restaurateur and humanitarian as well.
Over his three decades of experience in the culinary field, Jean-Robert has received numerous accolades from the international press. In 2003, Condé Nast Traveler listed Jean-Robert at Pigall’s in the Top 75 New Restaurants in the world. Jean-Robert and his restaurants have also been featured in Wine Spectator, Food Arts, Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Esquire magazines.
Jean-Robert has also been recognized by his peers and was nominated for the 2006 James Beard Foundation Award Best Chef: Midwest as chef of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s (following nominations in 2000 and 2001 as chef of Maisonette). In September, 2002 Jean-Robert was awarded the prestigious Medal of the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite by the Consul General of France, recognizing his humanitarian and culinary achievements. Jean-Robert has donated his talents to support many charitable organizations through events sponsored by the James Beard Foundation, Food Network, March of Dimes, Taste of the NFL, Hospice of Cincinnati and the Sudden Infant Death Network of Ohio. Jean-Robert has received the Cincinnati Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America’s prestigious Presidents Award, was named City Beat’s 2004 Person of the Year and received the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Cincinnati Chapter’s 2005 Person of the Year.