Beyond the Plate with Joe Mercuri: the accidental star chef

This is the second instalment in the monthly series Beyond the Plate, looking at the motivations and passions of local chefs. This week: Joe Mercuri.
There is a quote by the late Julia Child that is bang-on when describing Joe Mercuri: “People who love to eat are always the best people.”
Mercuri is a force on the Montreal food scene. When the gregarious 40-something walks into Westmount’s Cafe Gentile, the launching point for our adventure, he has undeniable star power. But he