continued from page 9

continued on page 12

10 | NOVEMBER 28 • 2024 
J
N

A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING
“I have talked about telling this story for the last 
25 years,” Famie said. He finally got started in May 
2023, with “the support of the hospitality commu-
nity.” 
The film’s participating chefs were drawn from 
Famie’s professional and personal contacts. “They 
understand the significance of our culinary heritage 
here in Detroit and seem to be thrilled the story is 
being told,” he said.
Noting that restaurateur Joe Muer passed away 
after the documentary was made, Famie said. “We 
are so fortunate that Detroit: The City of Chefs includes 
a conversation with Joe, who shared so much wis-
dom as one of the oldest restaurant families in our 
city.” 
For insiders like Famie, the restaurant communi-

ty “is like being a part of a secret society. Chefs and 
restaurant staff work hard. The hours are long, and 
the work is very demanding, both physically and 
mentally. You spend so much time with those you 
work with, focusing on the same goal of excellence, 
and they really become as close to you as your own 
family members … and in some ways closer.”
The documentary shows chefs and their assis-
tants cooking and assembling all manner of 
delicious food. We hear the sizzle and watch the 
smoke of searing steaks and chops. We delight 
in the artistic plating of entrees and desserts. 
Experiencing the behind-the-scenes magic might 
bring to mind The Bear, the popular, Emmy Award-
winning restaurant series streaming on Hulu. 
Still, at the heart of the film are the memories of 
the Detroit-based chefs. They are celebrated prac-

titioners of continental cuisine, a fine-dining style 
of cooking developed in France and other parts of 
Europe. 

CHEF’S INSPIRATIONS
Certified Executive Chef Paul Grosz, whose 
Cuisine restaurant is in Midtown Detroit, said he 
was just out of high school in the early 1980s when 
he worked with Famie. “Chef Keith introduced me 
to the world of French cooking, with the ingredi-
ents and the techniques he learned from chefs here 
in Detroit.”
Wanting to further his knowledge about French 
cuisine, Grosz studied at the famed Le Cordon 
Bleu cooking school in Paris. Afterward, he 
worked in several three-star French restaurants. 
“I was excited to bring back what I learned 

Late restaurateur Joe Muer

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER