Did you know that Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, petitioned just as hard to have it removed from the national calendar as she did to have it added for celebration? Anna Jarvis created Mother’s Day in 1908 after the death of her mother as a way to honor the sacrifices made by mothers. It became an official holiday in 1914. However, after seeing it become commercialized and thereby deviating from her original intent behind creating the holiday, Anna wanted to wanted the holiday removed.
Thankfully, while the reason is understood, we are grateful that Mother’s Day remains a national holiday celebrated worldwide. It is a time to celebrate the incredible women who have nurtured, supported and shaped who we are. Whether you prepare a meal at home or make reservations to treat your mom to a wonderful dinner, it is your moment to ensure that your mom does not have to worry about answering the “what’s for dinner” question.
READ: In the Spirit of Chef Johnny Curiel’s Father, Alteño Introduces Its Guests to More Than Just the Flavors of Jalisco
This Mother’s Day, you will not be short on excellent options serving flavorful menus to impress the mother of your life. One such restaurant is Chez Maggy. When we heard the story behind the inspiration for this restaurant, we knew we had to connect with the owner/chef, Ludo Levebvre, to bring you a “Meet the Chef” interview.
Chef Ludo Levebvre
303 Magazine: We watched the YouTube video about you and how Chez Maggy came to be. We were genuinely inspired by how the strong theme of family is woven throughout the culinary journey today, where people can enjoy the dishes you prepare. How does this influence and/or have you seen this translate into the atmosphere at Chez Maggy, and how have you and your staff observed the dining experiences of guests?
Chef Ludo Levebvre: Yes, family is very important to me. Chez Maggy is the celebration of the life of my mother-in-law. My hope is that when our guests come to Chez Maggy they feel this sense of family and celebration. We want Chez Maggy to be an everyday place where our guests can go and feel like they are part of our family. We also know that a lot of very special occasions are celebrated at Chez Maggy; birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc… Chez Maggy should feel like a home away from home, comfortable, but also a place of celebration.
303: With you owning and operating several high-profile restaurants in LA, in what way is Chez Maggy unique to Denver and in what way are there some crossover influences in the dishes prepared?
LL: Chez Maggy is unique to Denver in many ways, not the least of which my family is celebrated in the restaurant. The restaurant is named in memory of my mother-in-law and her photo hangs in the restaurant. In a discreet manner, the way she would have wanted it. I have included the bolognese on the menu as a reminder to myself and our family of how important she was to us. She was the master of frozen lasagna, so she took her love of frozen lasagna and turned it into a fresh pasta dish for all to enjoy and for our family to laugh a little at the memories whenever they dine at Chez Maggy. Beyond this, it was really important to me to highlight local ingredients and Denver-ize some of the classic French dishes I am known for. Denver is famous for its “Denver” omelette and the Petit Trois Omelette has become pretty legendary on its own. I decided to combine these two classics and make my version of the Denver omelette. We cook the omelette “French style,” soft and fluffy, and add bell peppers, onions, Parisian ham, and gruyère cheese sauce. The omelette style and the gruyère sauce create a wonderful crossover dish. At times, I will swap out the “beef” in the tartar for “bison,” which provides a fun local twist on a very classic French dish.
303: How do you balance the demands of running multiple restaurants and family? Additionally, what would you suggest to aspiring chefs trying to build their career while also trying to hold family priority?
LL: Running the restaurants and maintaining a healthy family dynamic has not been easy. No reason to sugar coat it. The restaurant industry is hard. Fortunately I LOVE to cook, so I do love to go to work. It is important that you love what you do if you are going to do it and do it successfully for 40-50 years. I have reached a place in my career after 40 years, that I have a bit more freedom to be able to prioritize family. It is important for me that I see my kids play hockey, that I have date nights with my wife, that I see my family in France. You can’t just work and have nothing else. But when you own your own business there is never an off day, but fortunately I work with that I trust to have my back when I am out, which takes time. My advice to aspiring chefs, learn to master things, learn to do it right, build on your skills and never try to shortcut the steps, there are no shortcuts. It will be hard in the beginning, but the more you focus on doing things right, things will run better when you take time to prioritize your family. Surround yourself with people you trust. Think of the person next you on the line as your ride or die. You need to have each other’s backs. That way you can rely on that person and vice versa when you want to prioritize your family.
303: Mother’s Day is coming up, and many will either be preparing a meal at home or making reservations at a restaurant. What do you believe makes a Mother’s Day dining experience special, regardless if done at home or at a restaurant?
LL: Mother’s Day is one of the most important days of the year. Indisputable fact, we ALL have mothers. Some of us have the fortune of still having our mothers with us, others have had to say goodbye. Regardless, they should be celebrated. Moms truly make the world go round. Many of us also have another Mother in our life, the Mother of our children. When thinking about the Mother’s Day experience, the most important thing is to ensure your celebrated Mom gets what she wants. Some want to be lavished with a multiple-course meal, flowing champagne. Others want to stay home and not have to think about what will happen that day, happy with a pancake breakfast and hugs from her family. Make the experience special by knowing what your celebrated “Mom” wants. Knowing what she wants and giving that to her will go so much further than going over the top with an experience that makes her uncomfortable and exhausts her, or alternatively, not knowing she wants to be lavished on Mother’s Day. I would be happy to cook for all your moms, make sure you know what she wants.
Chez Maggy is located at 1616 Market St., Denver, and is open for breakfast Monday through Friday 7 to 11 a.m. and lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner is available Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Brunch is available Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visit its website to get hours for bar service at Bar M.
