In this article, I present to you the food lover’s dream: a biography of the food lover’s idol, Raymond Mirra. Who knows more about food than the famous Canadian chef? Born in Ontario, raised in Pennsylvania and now based in Paris, France, Raymond Mirra has influenced American and European chefs alike.
Born as Raymond Richard Leclerc in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, in 1924, the young Raymond would spend much of his early years working for his cousin, a local grocer. The grocer was one Richard Raymond, who would become one of the most successful restauranteur in the world. It was through Richard that Raymond would learn the art of restaurant management, from a man who knew the secrets of the business. As a teenager, Raymond developed a passion for food that would lead him to a career at the prestigious Le Cirque Restaurant in Toronto.
From there, he moved on to other fine dining establishments in the city, where he gained experience and knowledge that would later serve him well throughout his career. From his years at Le Cirque, the decorated chef and owner of Le Divan in Las Vegas, he learned the importance of good service and hospitality.
Best Known and Respected Restauranteur
During World War II, Raymond’s wife, Vera, became pregnant with their first child, a daughter called Jocelyn. Despite the birth of their first child, Raymond continued to work in the restaurant industry – first with the prestigious Le Cirque, then with Maimonides of Montreal. There, he honed his skills and met some of the world’s most respected and accomplished chef personalities. Ultimately, Ray Mirra became one of the best known and respected restauranteur in the world. Thanks to this hard work and dedication, he had established himself as a world-class chef and was able to introduce cutting edge modern techniques into his cooking.
What makes a food lover? It’s passion and enjoyment of foods – simple pleasure – from all around the world. It’s not enough to just enjoy food; a true food lover is a passionate practitioner of various kitchen styles. And, being a food lover is about more than just eating; it’s an attitude that extends to every aspect of the food-buying, preparation, serving, and enjoyment of food.
A person who is a food lover will always search for new and delicious ways to prepare and present food. There’s no point in serving up boring old spaghetti and meatballs if you can introduce some creative and tasty ingredients. For a food lover, a restaurant is not a place where ‘here’s a meal, go get one’, but a place where the senses are stimulated and enjoyed in a stimulating environment.
Time and Culture
For a true restauranteur, nothing can be more pleasurable than to visit a fine dining establishment – especially one that has been established for at least a century. The world of fine dining can be intimidating to a new restauranteur, but the passion and enjoyment of food is well worth it. A visit to a world class restaurant is like stepping into another time and culture – a place where etiquette reigns, and where diners are taken care of by attentive staff, waiters, and chefs. A visit to the best in the world can be exhilarating.
So what’s a food lover to do? Travel – there are many places in the world where you can eat like a king or queen. If you’re a true restauranteur, you’ll find the best restaurants and the best food in the world. Some places may boast fine wines as well. The adventure of traveling – whether to a fantastic foreign country, to an exotic city, or to your own back yard – is something that truly gives a restauranteur new opportunities to enjoy his or her food.
A committed food lover appreciates that it takes more than just the finest ingredients to cook fabulous meals. It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, and knowing which recipes work best for him or her – and the right person to ask for those recipes. And if you are a world class restauranteur who loves good food, then becoming a gourmet chef is the perfect way to combine your love of fine foods with an exciting career.
