Food & Drink
In the prime of life
WENDY BIRD
Winter 2007 |
He assembles a perfect plate of juicy triple-A beef, steamed asparagus, roasted red potatoes and toasty Yorkshire pudding in record speed; and yet there is nothing quick about the meal he has prepared. Like any skilled craftsman, the ease with which he practises his trade is testament to the tremendous effort he makes, day after day, at the popular New Sudbury restaurant.
“Prime rib is my favourite meal to make,” Senechal said.
The chef, who was born and raised in New Sudbury, says he is not comfortable talking about his accomplishments. He prefers to stay behind the scenes preparing “good, comfortable food” that needs no explaining.
“We’re not a fancy, complicated restaurant,” said owner Sam Roumanes. “We pride ourselves on being able to offer really good food that brings people back again and again.”
That’s a principle Senechal has happily abided by since the first time he stepped foot in the restaurant 23 years ago.
“I started off working here as a dishwasher at 15 (years of age) he recalled. “It was a good job because I could walk to work.”
Senechal grew to love working in the kitchen. After being on dish-duty, he put together salads, moved onto the broiler station, and later started to take on the more challenging role of cook. Each step of the way, he mastered the steps involved with putting out a first class meal.
“Marc is an integral part of our restaurant’s operation,” said Roumanes, whose parents, George and Helen, originally hired Senechal.
“I’ve been working with him since he started here. It’s almost like a brotherly relationship.”
Senechal, a graduate of MacDonald Cartier Secondary School, enrolled in Cambrian College’s chef apprentice program in the early 1990s.
“He’s the type of guy who needs no direction at all,” Roumanes said.
As reluctant as he may be to speak about himself, Senechal admits he “enjoys the challenge of cooking and creating new dishes,” even though his first love rests with cooking up some of the best beef in Sudbury.
“We’re a traditional restaurant, a beef house,” Roumanes added. “But where we do get to play and have fun is when we host wine dinners throughout the year. That’s where Marc gets to be really creative.”
One of the most popular dishes he has put together in recent months is a roasted chicken breast, stuffed with wild mushrooms, spinach and asiago cheese, finished with a savoury demi-glaze. The meal has earned so many rave reviews that Roumanes is considering making it a regular part of the menu.
He also enjoys working with vegetarian dishes and has put together a winning combination of pesto, snow peas, sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese, tossed together with steaming hot pasta.
“Marc can put together an amazing meal at the drop of a hat,” Roumanes said.
But Senechal is quick to note, “I couldn’t do my job without the fantastic help I have in the kitchen. It’s definitely not a one-man show to serve 150 people on a Saturday night.”
The staff of eight in the kitchen at Mr. Prime Rib has seen many big nights, especially on New Year’s Eve, when the restaurant serves more than 300 people throughout the evening. And business is continuing to grow as the city’s economy prospers.
The increase in business means his 60-hour week won’t be cut back any time soon; and that’s just fine with him.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from my work,” he said. “People are appreciative.”
Roumanes agreed, “When you hear people who come up to me unsolicited and say, ‘this is the best beef I’ve had or one of the best beef dishes I’ve had’, that’s great. But then they tell you they are from Calgary, the mecca for beef, and that puts a whole different spin on the compliment.”
When he’s not working in the kitchen, Senechal spends a considerable amount of time exercising another one of his creative pursuits: carpentry. The dynamo tackles kitchen and bathroom renovations several hours each week as a sideline to his cooking.
One could say he’s hands-on in the kitchen in every way.
At home, Senechal enjoys cooking for his wife Joanne and three sons Justin, Phillip and Patrick.
“My wife dabbles a bit in cooking, but I do it mostly,” he said. “I really enjoy barbecuing all year long.”
Senechal still lives in New Sudbury, a place where he is happy to stretch out his roots and watch his family grow up.
It’s evident Senechal is pleased with where he’s at: working in the prime of his cooking career in a place that is clearly his home away from home. And the food he creates is witness to that comfort.
