We recently had the chance to connect with Myrha Queen and have shared our conversation below.
Myrha, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
Run my restaurant
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Chez Victor, named after my eldest son, is a French bakery–café–grocery store that we first opened in 2022 in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. Our goal has always been to offer authentic French bread, viennoiseries, and pastries, made with French flour and butter to capture that unmistakable French taste.
But beyond that, we wanted to bring to the U.S. the kinds of everyday French products people enjoy back home—ranging from traditional staples to artisanal and exclusive specialties.
The success of our SoHo shop encouraged us to expand to Florida, where we live year-round. In 2023, we opened a first boutique in Largo at 11926 Seminole Blvd, and today we are proud to welcome you to our second location, entirely dedicated to French and European products, in Clearwater at 1600 N Missouri Avenue.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Without a doubt, my father, who has always been there for me, teaching me the values of respect and hard work, and also my fiancé, with whom I built our restaurants.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Almost every day.
The challenges are numerous, the procedures complicated if you want to stay compliant, and the costs can be high… not to mention sometimes dealing with difficult customers or those who don’t pay. You need to be truly passionate to run a restaurant, and I believe this applies to most businesses.
And every day, that passion takes over again, our children remind us of the importance of staying positive and disciplined to provide them with stability and a nurturing upbringing; our customers show appreciation for what we do, which warms the heart.
Bringing joy to people, growing the community, and supporting my family, these are what truly matter.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
The answer is yes. I try to stay as genuine as possible, even though sometimes I have to use a bit of diplomacy with certain absurd situations that all restaurateurs know, like a chai latte that’s “too latte” or a dessert that’s “too sweet.” But I believe you shouldn’t compromise your integrity in this line of work, especially in a French restaurant, which is known for its strong character and authenticity.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I hope for French coffee and croissants… while also hoping that Chez Victor will continue to thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chez-victor.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyigtuCMH4a/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chez-victor-new-york_were-hiring-chez-victor-is-opening-activity-7358853548945612802-6mgB?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABXpNloB4C8v3VGyId3pPDD7gow4PeC4XlI
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chez.victor.bakery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChezVictorFrenchBistro
Image Credits
Credit : CHEZ VICTOR CLEARWATER – CLAUSIO GROUP
