Joseph M. Calemme

January 21, 1926 - June 1, 2016 Huntington Woods, Michigan Joseph Mathieu Antoine Calemme passed away on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, peacefully surrounded by family. He was 90 years old. Joseph was born on January 21, 1926 in Greasque, France. He grew up in Lyon, France during World War II. As a child, he joined the Lyon Boxing Club. While in Lyon, he taught ballroom dancing and played semi-professional soccer. He taught physical education with the French army in Morocco before returning to France to study la cuisine Francaise at Ecole Hoteliere de Nice Riviera. In 1948, Joseph traveled to the United States onboard the S.S. DeGrasse in New York. After traveling back and forth to France, he settled in Detroit, Michigan. In 1957, he met the love of his life Angelica Mancini-Mignotti. They later married in Ortona, Italy. Together the couple relocated to Southfield, Michigan to raise their five children. In 1971, Joseph relocated his family to Menton, France. There, Joseph owned Le Santa Lucia restaurant. The Franco-Italian restaurant served seafood, pizza and pasta. Many Italians from Milano, Genoa and Turino came to eat his famous bouillabaisse and paella. In 1975, Joseph with his family returned to Michigan and settled in Huntington Woods. Joseph was the unofficial ambassador to the Detroit Grand Prix in the 1980s as he spoke four languages and had an international flair. Prior to his retirement as the Maître D' at La Fontaine gourmet restaurant in the Renaissance Center, he worked as Maître D' or sommelier at several of the city's top restaurants, including the Golden Mushroom, Douglass Douglass, the Loophole at the Sheraton Hotel in Southfield and the Benchmark at the Michigan Inn. As Gourmet magazine once put it "There is no one else quite like Monsieur Joseph in Detroit. Nor, I expect, could there be... he is perhaps best described as Maitre d'hotel and sommelier-at-large to the city of Detroit." Joseph was also quoted many times in several magazines and newspapers about the great debate over the classic Caesar Salad and the inclusion of anchovies. Joseph is survived by his family; wife Angelica, children Carlo, Sylvain (Pam), Claudia (Doug) Siewert, Sandra (Scott) McCarthy, and Joe; and three grandsons Dylan Siewert, Aidan McCarthy, and Liam McCarthy. He is survived by sisters, nieces and nephews in France. Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. with an evening prayer service on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at Wm. Sullivan and Son Funeral Home, 705 W. Eleven Mile Road (4 blocks E. of Woodward), Royal Oak. A celebration of life will be held for Joseph at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Royal Oak at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 6, 2016. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that you give a donation to St. Mary's Catholic Church by either calling 248-547-1818 or by mailing to 730 S. Lafayette, Royal Oak, MI 48067 (envelopes will be provided at the funeral home). Share your memories at www.sullivanfuneraldirectors.com.