ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE, SPIRIT AND LEGACY OF A BELOVED FIGURE IN CINCINNATI'S CULTURAL AND CULINARY LANDSCAPE, JEAN-ROBERT DE-CAVEL.

NOT ONLY KNOWN FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY TALENT IN THE KITCHEN, BUT FOR HIS GENUINE KINDNESS, HUMOR, AND DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

JEAN-ROBERT HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION THAT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE DISHES HE CREATED.

JOINING US ARE THREE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM WELL AND EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND THE BRILLIANCE AND WARMTH HE SHARED WITH SO MANY.

ANNETTE DE-CAVEL, WHO STOOD BY HIS SIDE THROUGH LIFE'S MOST MEANINGFUL MOMENTS; AMY HUNTER, WHOSE OWN CULINARY JOURNEY WAS DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY JEAN-ROBERT'S MENTORSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP; AND AYMIE MAGIERSKI, A FRIEND AND COLLABORATOR WHO WATCHED HIS VISION SHAPE THE CINCINNATI WE KNOW AND LOVE.

TODAY'S EPISODE IS MORE THAN A TRIBUTE, IT'S A REFLECTION ON A REMARKABLE LIFE AND THE COUNTLESS LIVES JEAN-ROBERT TOUCHED.

SO AS WE HONOR HIS LEGACY, MAY HIS JOY, PASSION AND SPIRIT CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US ALL.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

THIS IS SHOWCASE.

I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

I'M HERE TODAY IN A VERY SPECIAL VENUE WITH TWO AMYS AND THEN ANNETTE.

WE'RE AT THE FRENCH CRUST, WHICH IS IN, AS THEY SAY, THE SHADOW OF FINDLAY MARKET.

AND IT'S ONE OF JEAN ROBERT'S RESTAURANTS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THEM LATER.

BUT FIRST I WANTED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE TWO AMYS, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW ANNETTE, AND WE'LL TALK TO HER LATER.

BUT TELL ME YOUR INVOLVEMENT HERE WITH JEAN-ROBERT AND HIS RESTAURANTS.

HUNTER: SO I'M AMY HUNTER, AND I'VE BEEN A FRIEND AND COWORKER, COLLEAGUE, ALL SORTS OF THINGS SINCE THE '90S.

I WORKED WITH THEIR NONPROFIT EAT.PLAY.GIVE, AND WORKED WITH JEAN ROBERT WHEN HE OPENED THE TABLE IN 2010.

KELLAR: AND YOU WORKED WITH HIM AS?

HUNTER: I DID PR AND MARKETING.

I'M SORRY, YES, YES.

I HAD BEEN IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS WHEN WE MET.

AND THEN GOT, LIKE, PHYSICALLY OUT OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS AND THEN DID -- I HAD A PR AND MARKETING CONSULTING COMPANY.

AND ENDED UP BEING BASICALLY IN-HOUSE FOR JEAN-ROBERT AND LE BAR A BOEUF AND FRENCH CRUST.

KELLAR: TELL US ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT.

MAJERSKI: SO MY NAME IS AYMIE MAJERSKI, THE OTHER AMY.

KELLAR: THE OTHER AMY.

MAJERSKI: AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH ANNETTE AND JEAN-ROBERT, AS MOST PEOPLE LOVINGLY KNOW HIM, WE CALLED HIM J.R., FOR MANY YEARS.

WHEN I MOVED HERE, IT WAS PAST THE MAISONETTE DAYS, IT WAS THE PIGALLE DAYS.

BUT I FIRST MET HIM BECAUSE I USED TO BRING MY DAUGHTER, I THINK I'VE TOLD YOU THIS STORY.

I'D BRING MY DAUGHTER DOWN.

THERE WAS A LITTLE AREA IN BETWEEN TWIST AND THE RESTAURANT, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BAR AREA, BUT YOU COULD GO AND GET DESSERT.

AND I WOULD TAKE THEM THERE TO THE FANCY RESTAURANT, AND WE WOULD HAVE CREME BRULEE AND CHEF WOULD COME OUT AND GREET US AND TALK TO US.

AND MY KIDS THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE VIP, AND THEY WERE, BECAUSE EVERYBODY WHO CAME IN WAS.

AND WE BECAME FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OVER THE YEARS AND FAMILY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

ANNETTE, YOU'RE NOW THE PERSON.

DE CAVEL: YES.

KELLAR: AND YEAH, TELL US ABOUT WHAT NOW -- YOU HAD SEVERAL RESTAURANTS OVER THE YEARS, BUT NOW WE'RE HERE AT FRENCH CREST.

AND TELL US ABOUT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OTHER TWO.

AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO FRENCH CRUST.

DE CAVEL: SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE FRENCH CRUST AND BAR A BOEUF AND I HAD MADE THE EXECUTIVE DECISION TO KEEP THEM OPEN, KEEP THE LEGACY GOING.

AND WE ARE STILL TWEAKING AND DOING, I MEAN, THIS IS TWO YEARS INTO DOING THAT AND WE ARE PROUD OF WHAT HE HAS ESTABLISHED, AND I'M HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CINCINNATI COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JEAN-ROBERT AND HOW YOU MET AND HOW YOU FOUND YOUR WAY HERE.

DE CAVEL: WE MET AT THE PLAZA ATHENEE IN NEW YORK.

WE BOTH WORKED AT THE SAME HOTEL, A FRENCH AND A GERMAN CAN ONLY MEET ON NEUTRAL TERRITORY.

KELLAR: ARE YOU GERMAN?

DE CAVEL: YES.

KELLAR: MY GOODNESS.

OKAY, YOU'RE NOT FRENCH.

THANK GOODNESS.

OKAY, WE HAVE REVELATIONS HERE.

DE CAVEL: AND THEN, WE WORKED AT THE SAME PROPERTY, AND FOR HIM, IT WAS, LIKE, EXCITING, OH, THERE'S A NEW, NEW FRIEND HERE, AND SHE'S ONLY GOING TO BE HERE FOR 18 MONTHS.

MAYBE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME FUN.

AND BECAUSE I STARTED WITH AN 18 MONTH VISA, BUT, WE STARTED BEING TOGETHER THEN.

AND WHEN HE HAD MOVED ON, OPENED A BISTRO IN THE GREENWICH VILLAGE, BUT THAT WAS AT A TIME WHEN THE ECONOMY WASN'T THAT GOOD AND ALL OF THAT.

AND THE PARTNERSHIP, SO THEN THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE TO CONSIDER CINCINNATI.

THE COMISAR FAMILY HAD REACHED OUT TO DANIEL BOULUD AND ASKED IF THEY -- KELLAR: DANIEL WAS VERY, VERY FAMOUS CHEF IN NEW YORK.

DE CAVEL: IF THEY KNEW ANYBODY THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE INTERESTED IN CINCINNATI.

AND BOTH OF US WERE, LIKE, "WHERE IS CINCINNATI?"

KELLAR: FIRST, WHERE IS IT?

YES.

DE CAVEL: AND SO, I HAD A FAMILY REUNION IN MADRID, AND I SAID, "WHY DON'T YOU START YOUR INTERVIEWING PROCESS AND GO THERE?"

AND THERE WAS ALREADY A HICCUP UPON HIS ARRIVAL BECAUSE HIS LUGGAGE DIDN'T COME.

SO INSTEAD OF TESTING THE MAISONETTE BEFORE HE WAS COOKING AT THE MAISONETTE, THEY TOOK HIM TO CHESTER ROAD HOUSE, WHICH WAS PROBABLY A BETTER WAY TO HIS APPROACH FOR THE NEXT DAY COOKING.

HE WAS THE ONLY CHEF THAT DIDN'T SEND A SHOPPING LIST ON WHAT HE NEEDED FOR THE COOKING.

AND THEY WERE AMAZED BY WHAT HE DID AND OFFERED HIM A JOB LIKE A WEEK LATER.

BUT THEN HE SAID, "BUT I HAVE MY GIRLFRIEND AND SHE'S IN NEW YORK."

AND THEY SAID, "OH, BOTH COME BACK TOGETHER."

AND THEN WE SPEND A NIGHT IN CINCINNATI.

CINCINNATI WAS THE NEXT DAY IN THE ENQUIRER IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST LIVABLE CITIES.

IN HINDSIGHT, I'M LIKE, "MM, SOUNDS GOOD.

YEAH.

THEY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT?"

AND THEN I GAVE HIM THREE MONTHS AHEAD OF ME TO MAKE SURE THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

AND WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE HERE 2, 3 MAXIMUM FIVE YEARS.

AND WE ARE STILL HERE.

AND THIS IS OUR PLACE WHERE WE'VE LIVED THE LONGEST.

AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYBODY, FRIENDS.

WE DON'T HAVE FAMILY HERE, SO FRIENDS HAVE BECOME OUR FAMILY.

KELLAR: NOW, DANIEL BOULUD IS THE MOST FAMOUS CHEF IN NEW YORK.

HOW DID THEY BECOME FRIENDS?

DE CAVEL: THEY BOTH WORKED AT ONE POINT WITH THE ROSTOV FAMILY, SO THE PLAZA ATHENEE WAS A STEPPING STONE FOR A LOT OF THE CHEFS.

I'M NOT SURE IF [INDISCERNIBLE] WAS PART OF THAT AS WELL, BUT, SO JEAN-ROBERT KIND OF STEPPED IN WHEN DANIEL BOULUD MOVED UP AND DID HIS OWN RESTAURANT.

AND SO THE FRIENDSHIP WAS ALWAYS THERE AND IS TO THIS DAY, I CAN CALL UP DANIEL, AND WE'VE SENT CHEFS OVER THERE.

WE SEND CUSTOMERS OVER THERE.

AND AS BUSY AS HE IS, HE'S STILL ANSWERING MY TEXTS OR PHONE CALLS.

YEAH.

KELLAR: SO YOU STARTED AT THE MAISONETTE.

DE CAVEL: MM-HMM.

KELLAR: AND HOW LONG WERE YOU THERE?

DE CAVEL: SO, I WAS NOT AT THE MAISONETTE.

IT WAS JUST JEAN-ROBERT WAS AT THE MAISONETTE.

KELLAR: HE WAS, BUT NOT YOU.

DE CAVEL: YEAH.

NO, I WAS -- YEAH, MORE LIKE TEN.

KELLAR: AND THEN FROM THERE DID YOU BUY YOUR FIRST -- START YOUR FIRST, OWN -- YOUR OWN RESTAURANT?

DE CAVEL: YES.

KELLAR: FROM THERE WHICH WAS THE TABLE.

DE CAVEL: IT WAS PIGALLE'S.

KELLAR: OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, YEAH.

WE HAVE TO GET THE ORDER RIGHT.

YEAH.

PIGALLE'S.

DE CAVEL: PICKLES, WHICH WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT FOR US, INCLUDING BECOMING A [INDISCERNIBLE], ALL OF THAT.

A LOT OF THINKING.

I MEAN, IT WAS BUILT ACCORDING TO OUR SPECS.

AND THEN FROM THERE, WE ALSO DID THE FRENCH CRUST?

NO, NO, NO.

HUNTER: IT WAS -- OH, BISTRO.

DE CAVEL: BISTRO JEANRO, PHO PARIS.

WHAT DID WE DO AFTER THAT?

HUNTER: THE ONE IN COVINGTON.

DE CAVEL: CHALK.

HUNTER: CHALK AND THE CAFE, THE GREENUP CAFE.

DE CAVEL: YEAH.

KELLAR: OH, YEAH.

ACROSS THE RIVER.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND THEN YOU CAME BACK OVER HERE AND WAS THAT THEN TABLE WAS NEXT?

DE CAVEL: YEAH.

SO THEN THE PARTNERSHIP, THAT PARTNERSHIP DISSOLVED, AND THEN TABLE.

WE DID VERY MUCH ON OUR OWN.

AND THAT WAS, YEAH, UNTIL THE CITY NEEDED THE SPACE AND WE ENDED UP CLOSING.

BUT OUT OF TABLE THEN CAME, I MEAN, WE HAVE FRENCH CRUST HERE AND THEN THE BAR A BOEUF, WHICH BY NOW WE HAD CALLED TABLE 2.0.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YEAH.

SO WE'RE HERE AT FRENCH CRUST, BUT BAR A BOEUF IS IN, LET'S SEE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE CALLED WALNUT HILLS?

DE CAVEL: EAST WALNUT HILLS.

KELLAR: THERE IN THAT THE BUILDING THAT IS CALLED?

DE CAVEL: THE EDGECLIFF.

KELLAR: EDGECLIFF.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

WHERE YOU GO AROUND THE CIRCLE.

IT'S IN THE SORT OF IN THE LOWER, LOWER LEVEL.

YOU HAVE THAT ONE AND THIS ONE.

AND WE'RE HERE RIGHT NEXT TO FINDLAY MARKET.

AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT JEAN-ROBERT IS SORT OF AS AN AUDITION, ONE TIME, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

AND HE WAS ALWAYS SO GENEROUS.

AND HE GAVE A DINNER THAT HE WOULD COOK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THIS FROM A CHARITY, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH.

AND IT WAS IN AN UNFINISHED CONDOMINIUM AT THE TOP OF THE ASCENT OVER IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

SO, HE CAME IN.

I WILL NEVER FORGET IT.

HE CAME IN WITH SOME LITTLE KIND OF HEATING COOKER THING BECAUSE THIS WAS VIRTUALLY VACANT, THE WHOLE THING.

AND IT WASN'T EVEN COMPLETED.

AND HE COOKED THIS IN WITH JUST A TABLE FULL OF LITTLE THINGS THAT HE NEEDED TO MAKE THE DINNER, AND IT WAS THE MOST FABULOUS.

WE COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY HAD PUT TOGETHER THIS INCREDIBLE GOURMET MEAL WITH A LITTLE COOKER AND A FEW EXTRA LITTLE ACCOUTERMENTS.

BUT IT WAS HE, I THINK MOST CINCINNATIANS, WELL ALL CINCINNATIANS WHO KNEW JEAN-ROBERT LOVED HIM, NOT JUST FOR HIS COOKING, BUT HE WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLY KIND AND GENEROUS AND HARD WORKING.

WHEN I THINK OF HIM, I THINK OF HIM COMING FROM THE BACK AT THE TABLE, FOR INSTANCE.

AND HE WAS ALWAYS, HE -- HE WAS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WITH HIS APRON ON AND SO GREGARIOUS AND SO, WELL, LOVABLE.

EVERYBODY REALLY EMBRACED HIM AND YOU BECAUSE WE MADE YOU AND YOU MADE YOURSELVES PART OF CINCINNATI.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY MEMORIES THAT EVERYBODY SHARES ABOUT YOUR DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AND WHAT HAPPENED.

WELL, MAYBE YOU GOT ENGAGED AT THE MAISONETTE OR WHATEVER.

I MEAN, CERTAINLY EACH ONE HAD ITS OWN AFFINITY AND ITS OWN AMBIANCE, AND THEY HAS MADE SO MANY MEMORIES FOR CINCINNATI.

AND WHEN DID YOU START WORKING BOTH TOGETHER.

BUT YOU WERE AT THE HOTEL FOR --?

DE CAVEL: I WAS AT THE NETHERLAND.

I ACTUALLY WAS TWICE AT THE NETHERLAND.

AFTER THAT I WORKED WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND THE NETHERLANDS WAS READY TO HIRE ME BACK.

AND BY THEN WE HAD ENOUGH RESTAURANTS WHERE I SAID I NEED TO BE HELPING OUT IN THE RESTAURANTS.

AND I DID THAT WHILE WE HAD THE PARTNERSHIP.

AND THEN I WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL WHEN WE CLOSED THAT CHAPTER.

YEAH.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I REMEMBER ONE OF THOSE HUGE DINNERS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TO SO MANY TIMES, AND THE FOOD IS HOPEFULLY EDIBLE.

BUT THIS TIME IT WAS REALLY DELICIOUS.

AND WE WERE ALL SAYING, "WOW, THIS IS REALLY GOOD."

AND YOU CAME OUT AND IT WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE.

AND SO THEN WE ALWAYS HOPED IF THERE'S ANOTHER BIG EVENT THERE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN CHARGE, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD GET TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD DINNER.

BUT THEN YOU BECAME PARTNERS, SO TO SPEAK.

YOU WORKED WITH JEAN-ROBERT.

DE CAVEL: FOR A WHILE IN THE RESTAURANTS, YES.

I MEAN, I HAVE THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BACKGROUND.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU HAVE ANY DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES YOU'D LIKE-- MAJERSKI: OH, MY GOODNESS, SO MANY.

AFTER THE RESTAURANT WOULD CLOSE, THEN AT THE TIME THE FAMOUS CHEF WHO I DID NOT KNOW OTHER THAN THAT HE WAS A FAMOUS CHEF WHO WAS VERY SWEET TO MY CHILDREN, WOULD COME OVER AND SAY HI TO US AND CHIT CHAT FOR A LITTLE BIT.

AND WAS ALWAYS JUST SO KIND AND WONDERFUL.

AND THOSE WERE MY MEMORIES BEFORE BECOMING FRIENDS.

BECOMING VERY GOOD FRIENDS, I WOULD SAY, I, NOT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, LOST MY FATHER AND THROUGH THAT, ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS THE MOST SUPPORTIVE AND ALWAYS SAID THE RIGHT THINGS WAS CHEF.

AND HE WAS JUST SUCH A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM THROUGH THAT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

MAJERSKI: AND SO WHEN HE DID PASS, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT ABOUT HOW HE HELPED ME THROUGH THAT WITH HIS WORDS AND THAT KIND OF HELPED ME AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT I SHARED IT WITH THROUGH.

KELLAR: AMY, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL MEMORY?

HUNTER: OH, GOSH, YES.

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, LIKE, FROM THE RESTAURANTS, STARTING AT -- THIS HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE AT THE MAISONETTE AND THEN AT PIGALL'S.

THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE PREFIX MENU AND THEN, IF YOU HAD THE TIME AND THE EVENING WAS RIGHT, YOUR SERVER WOULD COME UP TO YOU AND SAY, "YOU CAN ORDER OFF THE MENU, OR JEAN-ROBERT WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR YOU."

AND WE ALWAYS CHOSE JEAN-ROBERT WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR YOU.

AND THE MENUS WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY, AND WE WOULD JUST BE IN HIS HANDS FOR THE ENTIRE NIGHT.

AND IT WAS USUALLY 10, 12, 14 COURSES OF MAGIC EVERY SINGLE TIME.

AND I USED TO FREQUENTLY SAY THE 7, 6 OR 7 BEST WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARE: JEAN-ROBERT WOULD LIKE TO COOK FOR YOU, BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER THE SAME THING TWICE.

IT WAS MAGIC.

I CAN STILL REMEMBER SOME, LIKE, VERY SPECIFICALLY CERTAIN DISHES THAT JUST APPEARED, AND THEY WERE WONDERFUL.

BUT THEN LIKE AYMIE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS REALLY BEFORE I GOT TO KNOW THEM AS WELL PERSONALLY AND THEN WORKING WITH HIM.

HE HAD A WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR AND LOVED A GOOD JOKE.

LOVED TRICKS.

BUT HE ALSO, HE I DON'T THINK MANY -- WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS.

HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST GIFT GIVERS I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE.

I COLLECT MUGS, THE STARBUCKS CITY MUGS.

AND WHEN JEAN-ROBERT, HE WAS CINCINNATI'S REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TASTE OF THE NFL.

SO EVERY SUPER BOWL HE WOULD GO TO THAT SUPER BOWL CITY AND COOK.

IT WAS THIS BIG DINNER THE NIGHT BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL.

AND HE WOULD BRING ME BACK A STARBUCKS MUG FROM EVERY CITY.

AND ONCE I THINK, LIKE, THEY WERE AT A REST STOP OR SOMETHING BECAUSE IT WAS WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE AND HE HAD TO -- HE LIKE, STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN AT A STARBUCKS AND HE FORGOT TO GET ME A MUG.

AND SO.

KELLAR: THAT'S A GIFT GIVER.

HUNTER: IT'S A GIFT, YES.

AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE MY MORNING COFFEE, IT'S ALWAYS IN A STARBUCKS MUG.

AND SO I FREQUENTLY HAVE COFFEE WITH JEAN-ROBERT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT WHEN VICTORIA MORGAN CREATED HER NEW NUTCRACKER AND THE OPENING SCENE WAS A KITCHEN, AND WHO WAS THE CHEF?

JEAN-ROBERT.

WHO CAME OUT?

DO YOU -- WERE YOU AROUND?

DE CAVEL: CARRYING THE WOBBLY CAKE.

YES.

KELLAR: THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, CARRYING THE CAKE.

AND WAS HE NERVOUS ABOUT THAT?

DE CAVEL: HE WASN'T.

HE WAS A SHOWMAN.

HE LOVED, LOVED IT.

KELLAR: HE LOVED IT.

YEAH, HE LOVED IT.

WHERE DID HE LEARN TO COOK?

DE CAVEL: HE STARTED AT 16 YEARS OLD.

I MEAN, HE ON WEDNESDAYS THERE WAS NO SCHOOL IN FRANCE.

AND HE WOULD, HE WOULD COOK, MAKING CAKES AND ALL OF THAT WITH HIS MUM AND 16 YEARS OLD HE WENT TO A COOKING SCHOOL IN FRANCE.

KELLAR: AT 16?

DE CAVEL: YEAH, 16.

SO IT WAS VOCATIONAL SCHOOL.

I MEAN, COOKING AND TAKING CLASSES AND KNEW ALL ALONG THAT WAS HIS CAREER.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT DON'T YOU THINK, I MEAN, YOU CAN SEND AN ARTIST TO SCHOOL, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TALENT.

NOBODY CAN REALLY TEACH YOU WHAT HE COULD DO.

AND HE HAD THE NATURAL TALENT AND THE LOVE FOR IT.

I MEAN, THAT JUST LET ME DO SOMETHING FOR YOU SPECIAL, THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO LEARN THAT, I DON'T THINK.

DE CAVEL: ANDY HAD THE CHEMISTRY WHICH MANY COOKS, CHEFS, THEY TAKE COOKBOOKS AND PUT THEIR THINGS TOGETHER.

HE HAD IT ALL IN HIS HEAD SOMEHOW.

SO HE SUDDENLY HAD A GIFT FOR THAT.

KELLAR: AND YOU HAVE TO BE A CHEMIST IF YOU'RE A COOK, A SERIOUS CHEMIST.

MAJERSKI: YEAH, A CHEMIST AND AN ARTIST.

KELLAR: HE WAS A CHEMIST AND AN ARTIST.

DE CAVEL: AND A CONDUCTOR, BECAUSE THE SHOW IS ON.

KELLAR: HOW OLD WAS HE WHEN HE PASSED AWAY?

DE CAVEL: 61.

KELLAR: WOW.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO-- HUNTER: TALKING ABOUT HIS GOING TO SCHOOL.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS, BEING A PART OF THE TEAM, I WOULD TRY TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY, BUT, HE NOT ONLY DID HE LOVE GREETING HIS GUESTS, HE LOVED TEACHING COOKS.

AND THE, I CALL THEM KIDS, I'M OLD, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN HIS KITCHENS, HE LIT UP AND SEEMED TO HAVE SO MUCH PATIENCE TEACHING THE BASICS TO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE MAGIC.

AND THERE'S REALLY, I DON'T THINK, MANY RESTAURANTS IN CINCINNATI THAT AREN'T CONNECTED TO THE JEAN-ROBERT FAMILY SOMEHOW.

BUT HE JUST, HIS ENERGY, HONESTLY WAS DIFFERENT IN THE KITCHEN WITH HIS COOKS.

AND TALKING ABOUT IT, HE -- IT -- HE DIDN'T EVER GROW TIRED OF TEACHING OR-- KELLAR: AND HE WAS ALWAYS IN A GOOD HUMOR.

YOU THINK OF THE CHEF IN THE KITCHEN DOING THIS AND BEING, YOU KNOW, JUST SO STRESSED.

AND HE WAS ALWAYS A GOOD STRESS, YOU KNOW?

HE ALWAYS SEEMED TO HAVE.

DID HE EVER GET [INDISCERNIBLE]?

WHAT DID HE DO FOR FUN?

DE CAVEL: OH, I MEAN FUN IS SPENDING TIME WITH OUR FRIENDS, BASICALLY.

I MEAN, THERE WAS -- WE WOULD DO LIKE SUNDAY FUN DAY.

I MEAN, WE WOULD BE OPEN HERE, BUT THEN WE WOULD STILL HAVE TIME TO PLAY.

I MEAN, HE VERY MUCH GOT INTO FOOTBALL.

THAT WAS ONE OF HIS PASSIONS.

HE REALLY ENJOYED THAT.

AND THEN JUST GO AND, YOU KNOW, BE PRIVATE WITH FRIENDS OR GO TO RESTAURANTS.

AND IT WAS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A NIGHT WITH OUR DAUGHTER.

SO HE WAS GOING -- MAJERSKI: I WAS GOING TO SAY MAKE SKYLINE CHILI FOR LETICIA AND HER FRIENDS TOO.

WE MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH.

KELLAR: YEAH.

OH, HE MADE HIS OWN SKYLINE?

DE CAVEL: NO, NO, NO.

KELLAR: NO, BUT I COULD -- HE PROBABLY COULD HAVE TAKEN THE INGREDIENTS AND MADE SOMETHING EVEN BETTER.

MAJERSKI: IT WAS JUST FUNNY BECAUSE SHE WAS LIKE, "MY DAD'S A WORLD RENOWNED CHEF, BUT MY FRIENDS ALWAYS GO, 'WILL HE MAKE US SKYLINE CHILI DIP?'"

KELLAR: WELL, HE CERTAINLY WAS A CINCINNATI ICON.

SO MANY PEOPLE KNOW WHO JEAN-ROBERT WAS.

AND HIS RESTAURANTS WERE WONDERFUL, AND HE'S LEFT A LEGACY.

HE'S LEFT A LEGACY.

NO ONE WILL EVER BE HIM AGAIN.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT.

HE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT WE WERE SO LUCKY TO HAVE AND TO HAVE HIM AROUND.

AND I WOULD NEVER HAVE SAID THAT HE, I MEAN, I WAS ALWAYS SURPRISED IF HE EVEN KNEW WHO I WAS.

BUT HE ALWAYS -- YOU ALWAYS FELT LIKE HE COULD GIVE YOU A HUG AND CARE ABOUT YOU AND LOVE YOU.

AND I KNOW YOU HAVE GREAT MEMORIES TOO, YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT NEVER CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.

SO ARE THERE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO HELP US REMEMBER?

HUNTER: YEAH.

SO THERE'S SOME EVERYDAY THINGS.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T COME IN HERE EVERY, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE ARTWORK AND THESE ARE ALL FROM HIS.

HE LOVED COLLECTING.

HE HAD A COLLECTION OF EVERYTHING.

AND YOU CAN SEE HIS HUMOR IN THAT.

SO THERE'S A PIECE OF HIM HERE.

THERE'S LOTS OF HIS RECIPES IN BOTH RESTAURANTS STILL BEING USED.

AND THEN THERE'S, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON SOME REALLY SPECIAL THINGS THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER, BUT THAT WILL REALLY CEMENT THE LEGACY IN CINCINNATI HISTORY.

MAJERSKI: ANNETTE AND AMY HAD TALKED AND YOU HAD SPOKEN ABOUT SOME OF CHEF'S RECIPES STILL BEING USED IN THE RESTAURANTS.

AND I KNOW IN THE COMING MONTHS, ESPECIALLY, LE BOEUF IS GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK A LOT OF HIS SIGNATURE DISHES THAT PEOPLE LOVED SO MUCH.

AND HE'S NOT HERE TO PUT HIS SPECIAL TYPE OF LOVE INTO IT, BUT CHEFS THAT WERE TRAINED UNDER HIM WILL BE CREATING THOSE DISHES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

KELLAR: YOU'LL KNOW IF IT'S LIKE HE WOULD HAVE MADE IT, WON'T YOU?

DE CAVEL: YES.

KELLAR: YOU'LL BE SUPERVISING, WON'T YOU?

YOU CAN COME IN AND TASTE.

DE CAVEL: A LITTLE EXTRA TOUCH.

KELLAR: YES.

ISN'T THERE A SCHOLARSHIP FUND?

HUNTER: YES.

ACTUALLY, THE FOUNDATION IS NO LONGER, BUT WE HAVE ENDOWED A FUND AT CINCINNATI STATE AT THE CULINARY SCHOOL, THE MIDWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE.

SO HE'S STILL TEACHING BY GIVING SCHOLARSHIPS TO YOUNG COOKS AND CHEFS.

AND WE SEE -- I RUN INTO SOME OF THE STUDENTS WHO BECAME CHEFS, WHO BENEFITED FROM THE SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO THAT'S STILL AT CINCINNATI STATE, WHICH IS A REALLY, REALLY NICE WAY TO KEEP THE MEMORY ALIVE.

KELLAR: DID HE TEACH AT CINCINNATI STATE?

HUNTER: HE DID.

KELLAR: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

WE USED TO GO TO -- WE USED TO GO AND HAVE DINNER THERE.

HUNTER: THAT'S ACTUALLY HOW HE -- WE KEPT HIM IN CINCINNATI.

DE CAVEL: OH, REALLY?

HUNTER: THERE WAS A SMALL WINDOW OF TIME BETWEEN PIGALL'S CLOSING AND WHEN HE WAS WORKING ON OPENING THE TABLE AND HE -- CINCINNATI STATE, THE MIDWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE, NAMED HIM THEIR CHEF IN RESIDENCE, MAINLY BECAUSE DAN CASE, WHO WAS THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL AT THE TIME, KNEW THAT IF THEY DIDN'T, CINCINNATI WAS GOING TO LOSE HIM BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE TO WORK.

KELLAR: OBVIOUSLY.

HUNTER: YES.

AND THANKS TO CINCINNATI STATE, WE KEPT HIM IN TOWN.

THAT WAS, I THINK, A TWO YEAR, 2008-2010ISH.

TWO YEAR RESIDENCY, BUT -- AND HE HAD BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE SCHOOL BEFORE THAT AND CONTINUED ON, GOSH, ONE NIGHT, 12 KITCHENS HE PARTICIPATED IN.

HE HIRED STUDENTS FROM THERE AND DID PRETTY MUCH, WELL, HONESTLY, JEAN-ROBERT NEVER COULD SAY NO TO MANY PEOPLE.

KELLAR: I KNOW THAT.

HE GAVE SO MANY, SO MUCH OF HIS TALENT TO SO MANY CAUSES.

THAT'S WHY I SAY, EVEN IF YOU -- THERE ARE PEOPLE, I'M SURE, WHO'VE NEVER EATEN IN THIS RESTAURANT, BUT THEY'VE EATEN THIS FOOD.

HUNTER: YES, YES.

KELLAR: BECAUSE HE'S BEEN A PRESENCE IN EVERY, OH, SO MANY IMPORTANT EVENTS.

IF JEAN-ROBERT WAS IN CHARGE OF THE FOOD YOU WERE GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO BE -- HUNTER: ABSOLUTELY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO THE SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS WILL CARRY ON, HOPEFULLY, BUT THEY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

HUNTER: NO, NO, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE PROUD, YEAH.

KELLAR: WE LOVE THE MEMORY.

WE LOVE COMING AND TALKING TO YOU AND BEING, JUST BEING HERE MAKES YOU FEEL AS IF YOU'RE SORT OF RE-EXPERIENCING THE BEST.

SO THANK YOU BOTH AND ANNETTE, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

HUNTER: THANK YOU.

KELLAR: UM, IT'S BEEN A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THOSE VERY, VERY LUCKY PEOPLE WHO GOT TO EAT THIS FOOD ON A LONG TERM BASIS.

AND WE WILL ALWAYS BE SO PROUD THAT CINCINNATI WAS JEAN-ROBERT.

HE'LL GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS AS A REALLY, REALLY GREAT CHEF.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

Captions: Maverick Captioning CIN OH maverickcaptioning.com