The People’s Chef: Randolph’s Jean Claude is for everyone

Grand Lake’s Tour de Force

Before he stepped into the shoes of executive chef at Randolph’s, Jean-Claude Cavalera spent many years at the self-made Caroline’s Cuisine in Grand Lake. It was at Caroline’s that Jean-Claude’s name first became known in Colorado culinary circles, spreading as far away as Denver. To this day – after a year and a half at Randolph’s – he still enjoys visits from former Caroline’s regulars who fell in love with Jean-Claude’s bistro-style, local fare. And in case those devotees want a taste of what was, they should stop by for the Timberline salmon – a previous fixture on Caroline’s menu which is now front and center at Randolph’s. It stands to reason – a good thing is worth holding onto. Then eating.

Jean-Claude Cavalera is a bit of iconoclast. You might say that of many chefs who have been in the business for 30-plus years, but this man – a veritable culinary maître – is a breath of fresh air in the stodgy world of egos and picture-perfect plates.

Sure, he dons the white chef coat embroidered with his name, the impressive title “Executive Chef” underlining it. And yes, his dishes are composed combinations which titillate both eye and appetite, but it’s his personality that cuts through the rigorous BS of the industry. It’s his matter-of-fact, friendly hello that instantly destroys any notion of egocentrism.

Case in point: Early on in his tenure at Randolph’s, Jean-Claude witnessed a flatbread in the making that caught him completely off-guard. That’s right, a flatbread.

“I’ve made flatbread my whole life – my grandmother made flatbread,” he quips. “But when I came on, I saw one of the interns throw flatbread on a grill. I asked her what the heck she was doing, but she just told me, ‘Watch me. It will work.’ Sure enough, it did. And it was delicious.”

Many chefs of Chef Jean-Claude’s ilk would have balked at such a new technique; more than 30 years in a kitchen means you know as much as there is to know, right? Not so much. As Jean-Claude sees it, that’s never been true.

“I’m still learning. You have to embrace that there are things you don’t know.”

His humility renders the man absolutely approachable – so much so, I could see having a beer with him after a long day on the job. Or a glass of wine – good wine. Even at a recent lunch in the updated, elegant Randolph’s, Jean-Claude sat down next to me, leaning back casually in his chair, and chatted about everything from industry shenanigans to an evening meal he had with the late, great Julia Child many years ago.

“She was great,” he laughs. “Just really down-to-earth. I remember when I had her over for dinner. She walked into the house and headed straight for the fridge. ‘I need a glass of wine,’ she said, and all I could say was, ‘Help yourself.’”

Which is exactly what hospitality means for Jean-Claude. To Randolph’s latest and greatest chef, the nature of cooking and entertaining is much the same – a fun affair, with a particular love of food in its many diverse forms.

Recently, he unveiled the much-anticipated fall menu at Randolph’s – a slightly playful and inventive riff on classical French fare, updated with Colorado ingredients. Set before me for lunch was a litany of savory creations, all with Jean-Claude’s colorful, creative touch. The salmon, for example, was smoked by the chef himself; the pristinely seared sea scallops gave me a happy second take with speck instead of bacon; and a luscious, creamy medley of sautéed escargots had me lusting for ninth arrondisement dinner in the center of Paris.

What’s most amazing about Jean-Claude is the way he has – with the work of the entire team at Randolph’s and The Warwick – brought the restaurant into the common domain. For many years, this was a restaurant for the big-earners, the business moguls, the affluent of Denver. While it boasts a four-star menu, it doesn’t necessitate ties and high heels. It is once again a restaurant for the people – people who enjoy good food and a lot of fun.

In between courses over lunch, various sous chefs popped out from behind the line carrying more plates of food, many of whom stopped to shake my hand. It was an impressive thing to see the un-hierarchical relationship between Jean-Claude and his kitchen staff – a relationship among recent Johnson & Wales grads and many-year vets that just works. Jean-Claude isn’t the kind of high-toqued chef threatening line cooks with brandished rolling pins; he’s more the kind of chef who’ll tell you how to make a roux, then take you out for beer when the final order shuffles out of the kitchen.

I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of chef whose food I want to eat.

Randolph’s is located at 1776 Grant St. Online at RandolphsDenver.com.