Chef Camille Le Caer of Buffalo has a lot on his plate.
On the heels of his fourth national Food Network appearance last fall, the local private chef, who originally hails from Brittany, France, also happens to be a Buffalo firefighter.
You may know him as the former proprietor of Pastries by Camille, whose delicacies like crepes and croissants generated much buzz at its Hertel Avenue location until the pandemic shut things down.
Today, the French-trained chef, who worked as an apprentice at several Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and high-profile eateries in New York City, runs his own business as a private in-home chef while also working 24-hour shifts at Engine 34 at Main and Mercer.
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At first glance, serving a five-course meal appears to have little in common to responding to a life-threatening fire or medical emergency. But in both worlds, says Camille, choreography is essential.
“You have to pre-plan as much as you can, and use the right tools for the job at the right time.”
If the intensity of juggling these two worlds wasn’t enough, Camille is also training for an Ironman competition in July. Training days typically require five or more hours of biking, swimming, running and recovery therapy. That’s on days when he’s not on shift at the firehouse, or taking care of his two kids, ages 7 and 9.
To squeeze it all in, Camille’s days and weeks are highly scheduled and precisely timed, from school drop-off to arriving early at the firehouse to being on-time and prepared for cooking gigs and charity galas. There are nights at the firehouse with multiple calls and very little sleep. Camille will often get off a shift at 8 a.m. only to prepare for a private dinner that evening.
He said he’s found the time and energy to train by trading off other things, including alcohol and the accompanying social time, in pursuit of something healthier and more productive.
The Ironman goal, he says, is about doing something he enjoys outside the kitchen, along with proving something to himself and his kids: that self-discipline (and a little suffering) will help you reach your goals.
“In an Ironman, there’s no lying—you can either finish it, or you don’t,” says Camille.
In the meantime, the 32-year-old has already proven he can do a lot of other things. In 2020, he won his first Food Network challenge on Guy’s Grocery Games. Since then, he’s been invited back for three more shows: Chopped; 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing; and the Halloween Baking Championship.
His kids liked the baking show best.
“When they see me searing a scallop, they’ll be, like, ‘ew,’” says Camille. “They like the sweet things better.”
As it turns out, there are advantages to having a dad who’s a French chef. At his 7-year-old son Emile’s birthday party, the kids were treated to oversized homemade macarons, and Emile also got a special apricot birthday cake that he was very enthusiastic about. (“There was fake glitter on it,” says Emile. “And we could eat the glitter!”)
Back at the firehouse, of course, sharing meals—and the preparation of those meals—is part of the culture. On each shift, the eight-person brigade goes to Tops or Aldi to pick up ingredients (if one goes, they all go). Meals are pretty simple; each firefighter is allotted $25 per day for food while on the job, so there’s “a lot of chicken,” Camille says.
As a private chef, his multi-course menus are only limited by his client’s imaginations (and budgets). He doesn’t hold inventory so that he can cater to specific requests.
He’s done dinners for as few as two guests and up to 35, typically in his client’s homes. He also host dinners for up to 14 at his kitchen studio on Chandler Street, where he teaches cooking classes. Dinner service includes a stylishly set table and up to six courses, with specialties such as escargots and oysters.
He also volunteers for local causes, including making on-stage appearances, skills he developed for TV.
“I was not a natural at it with my accent and the language barrier, but with experience, I am getting better,” Camille says. “On TV, I really try to describe what’s going on and give tips.”
Finally, he just closed on a home purchase in Buffalo, roots that should keep Camille in Western New York for a while—even if the Food Network continues to lure him for gigs (Camille will only hint at the possibility of more).
First responder, dedicated athlete, top contributor to the region’s food scene: We’re glad this adopted Buffalonian is sticking around.
Photography by James Pici
