Our Staff

This individual is the unified discipline that makes this restaurant what it is. Without accolades, He is the force that anchors our hysteria. Dotting every I, crossing every T, Valenti is the management link that drives the success of Margaux’s. Hailing from upstate New York, Syracuse Orangemen Territroy, years of restaurant trade under his belt buckle, he brings law, order & inspiration to our domicile. He was on a high school state championship gymnastics team in the 80′s & has multiple trophies & awards in this respect. He also worked as a gymnastics teacher during his younger years with kids ranging from 2 to 16 years old. Val handles everything that needs direction from sales, marketing, computer diagnostics, training, VIP guest handling, reservations and most importantly, baby sitting all of us. He single handedly takes care of the plotting and strategizing for our biggest day of the year-Thanksgiving where we feed close to 1000 strong, buffet style. Recently a new homeowner in Knightdale, Val lives with his respectable lovable canine, Maximus. He is the binding force that keeps our restaurant glued together. With Superhero influences of Spider-Man & The Flash it’s no wonder this icon is who you want in your foxhole when you need to be pulled out of the WEEDS.

Pictured here with his best friend Maximus.

LJ or WAWA as we like to call her, came into this world as a bubbly 7lb 6oz burst of New Paltz sunshine to the proud parents of  NY State Trooper George & Mimi Rebhan.  Right out of the gates, this self proclaimed firecracker grabbed life by the seat of her pants and eventually moved to Raleigh in 1988.  We were lucky enough to be graced by her presence in 1994, shortly after opening and have never let go since.  On a few occasions this “Disruptive Cog” tried to escape us for other ventures but luckily enough she has returned from each departure.  LJ has blossomed into our “Go To Girl”.   Recently a 50th wedding anniversary celebration boasted to us that they were taking LJ home and making her part of their family.  This is the type of passion she brings to work with her every day.  Her zest for life and quest to be the best at what she does is contagious to all that come in her path.  Numerous regulars are drawn to her animated nature and flair for the dramatic.  Her fellow peers are effected in a loving positive fashion from all the energy she brings to the table on a daily basis.  She credits all things positive in her life to her faith.

While most of us sit back and find solace in rest before our shifts, WAWA is busy getting her up-cycling business off the ground.  Appropriately named Green Pieces, LJ rebuilds vs trashes with the likes of corks, bottle caps, cans and has this incredible ability to find the beauty in everything while  helping to  save our environment one day at a time.  When not working on something, Laura finds her spare time filled with sky diving, snow boarding, culture soaking, traveling, museum hopping and drinking her favorite champagne “J”.  Currently resides in Raleigh with her bright eyed Mr. Cantwell and their pooches, Rex, Sassy, Sundance & Junebug.  Laura Jean leads by example each and every day and her love for cuisine borders on savant status & she’ll just  tell you it comes with the territory. 

Pictured here with Sundance.

Mandy originally hails from San Diego and has been living in Raleigh since 1991 with her adorable fuzzy cats appropriately named Simon & Theodore. Mandy also attends Wake Tech for her RN Degree to be followed with her own path in anesthesiology.  Her mantra… “Take Life By The Horns, You Only Live Once, Love & Be Loved”.  When not peeled to the inside of her anatomy books, Mandy can usually be found working out, running marathons, surfing, drinking Italian wines, talking philosophy or chatting about fetish principles.

Mandy is an independent woman and serves as a leader on our waitstaff.  She glides through our dining room with the utmost of ease, smiles upon her face, exuding joy for life.   Knowledgeable beyond compare, unflusterable & with harmonious symmetry she delivers – every day for any situation thrown at her. Self motivated,  Mandy can handle other facets of our operation such as backwaiting, bartending & serving as our Nurse Cratchett Staff Mom who has actually administered First Aide Care on several customers.   She is a firm believer  in creating your own destiny and never compromising yourself. We are truly blessed to have this feisty lady on our side.

Once in every restaurant’s lifetime there comes a rare individual that is indisposable. If we could stamp out the perfect “Margaux’s Model Mannequin” , it would be from Ms. Tosch’s genetic makeup. Hailing originally from Rochester New York, Kim has been a valued jewel on our staff since 1995. A graduate of Kent State University, with a major in Fashion Design and a Minor in Bootknocker Philosophy. Once you first come across Kim, you can’t help but notice her piercing blue eyes and gorgeous blonde locks, yet it’s her internal sunshine that makes her who she is. Confident, intelligent, efficient, unflusterable, tender yet disciplined, sincere & always considerate. She is our Sly Go To Girl when that special patron arrives. Able to handle anything thrown her way, almost all new staff members have to run through Kim’s stringent training regiment including a 25 mile marathon chased with a 3 day bender filled with mind erasers ultimately leading to getting Tosch’d the old fashioned way. Kim possesses that infectious exuberance that makes everyone in her company feel at ease and comfortable. With stoic grace she grasps the hardest of tasks with one demonstration. Stealth in every action effortlessly executed. Her hobbies include knitting staff booties, baking fresh rolls & sleeping. One of the saddest days Margaux’s has experienced was when Kim briefly left us to move to Ohio for a brief stint only to return a few months later to our most gracious hugs with open arms. Little does she know that these open arms will never let go of this precious gem again. Currently resides in Raleigh with her husband Peter and their most adorable black lab appropriately named Jager Mixwell.

Pictured with husband “Sweet Pete The Bootknocker”

Medford, aka “The Feather Rustler”, motivates and pushes people’s buttons the right way. Adept at running any of the 4 stations on the chefs’ line, always positive, he has endless energy that shines on all of our staff. His childhood memories of his Georgian Grandmother influences his style & stem deep to her roots of Southern Cooking, fried fish bbqs, squash casseroles, Brunswick Stews. As he firmly claims, “It is so important to know where your food is coming from”. Asked why he has stayed at Margaux’s for so long, “Just look at this place, there is not another place like it in the Triangle. The people that work here are my family.” Working beside Chef/Owner Pettifer, is undoubtedly being with one of the most honest, hardest working men he has ever worked with. “Andy is a phenomenal chef & teacher”. This Feather Rustler is truly a ruby amongst the swamp and is one of the reasons Margaux’s stands strong after 15 years. FYI, Medford ran a 5k in under 14:52. His wife Jill is a Master Sculptor and is responsible for creating & hand sculpting all of our dipping dishes and one of a kind shot glasses. We are all blessed for having him a part of our Margaux’s Family. We wouldn’t be who we are without him.

Pictured with his children Hannah & Simon.

Miguel Cazuela, Sylvestre Montoya, Placido Lopez. These 3 men are the anchors to our Restaurant. Without them we would close our doors. Keeping our 99+ sanitary grade, prepping faster than the speed of the Superheroes, these 3 rock solid individuals are the happiest, nicest, most honorable group of men we could associate with. Together, they have over 27 years vested at Margaux’s, and without them we would be nothing. One would never know they are ever in the restaurant because they are always on time, work as efficiently as a General Motor Assembly Line, and are as quiet as a sleeping babies when accomplishing every task thrown their way. All reside in Raleigh with their respective families & children. Their intense discipline and always jovial dispositions put us all at ease just knowing that they are in the building.

Erick Beidler has been with our family for 15 years and counting. If ever privileged to have had him take care of you, it is only then that you would understand why he might be one of the best in the business. Married to wife Beth for 13 years, they share a home in Raleigh with their lovable pooch Cassey. Constantly digging to his roots from his own Restaurant business in Charlotte named Cafe Morel’s on East, he pushes us all to strive to be our very best each and every night and runs this restaurant as if it’s his own. He is our very own MacGyver, self motivated and as conscientious as they come. Our restaurant boasts some very elaborate wine racks and dividers that are all meticulously carved and hand made with love by Erick’s hands.  Norm Abram from This Old House would love the detail and care that goes into everything Erick creates.  We are all truly in awe after every shift with this honorable man who has the stamina of a thoroughbred. His daytime renovation business, appropriately name CFB Renovations keeps him busy during the day, and he keeps us alive at night as our bar manager. Appropriately nicknamed “Puddin”, this sensitive gentle man was raised the old fashioned way….Correctly, Honestly & All Things Southern!!!

Originally hailing from Fingerlakes NY, Peter entered our world approximately 12 years ago as a military trained anti air craft artillery expert, and he’s been sharp shooting here ever since. Has lived in Raleigh for 16 years and is a graduate of NC State University. The eldest of 4 siblings, he currently runs The North Glen Halfway House for the restaurant community. One of the greatest things about Mr. Ekenstierna is his wife, Kimberly. She is about the only person who can keep this ferocious lion tamed & from wrecking havoc on any bunny rabbit in his path. In his spare time away from the restaurant, Bootknocker is a fitness guru and a roller genius. Frequently the most asked for representative on our floor, Pete also handles our wine program. This is an intense job handling 48 purveyors, price lists, deliveries & all the mishaps that occur due to human nature. Like a seasoned veteran, Pete handles everything in stride and with each list impresses even the choosiest oenophile. Without a doubt, he is one of the most intense members of our staff.  He has an incredible eye for detail and one of the greatest comedic deliveries this side of Toschville.   Always striving to be consistent and is not afraid to speak his mind. Peter is without a doubt the strongest person on staff, can bench press 415 pounds and is able to do a 2 1/2 back double twist on the spring board effortlessly. Immense heart, graceful & one of the most distinguished palates on this side of the Mason Dixon Line.

Jed & Jess were instantaneously  best friends and soon to be soul mates from that very first day they met.  Growing up not too far from each other, it took an 850 mile move for each for them to finally meet.  Jessica originally hailing from Woodstock, Vermont has an infectious smile and irresistible laugh that first caught Jed’s attention here in Raleigh.  She grew up as a fast running, hard working girl from the Green Mountains.  Jess was always the most athletic girl in high school.  Jessica has over 14 years experience in the restaurant biz and has a near encyclopedic knowledge of fine foods and wines from across the globe.  Never afraid to crack a joke or make a new friend,  she has become one of our strongest leaders on the floor and does it ever so stealthy.  Ms. Holmes  is a twin and has four siblings in total & loves her Sunday family meals,  as well as spending free time hiking. camping, tubing or riding bicycles with her future husband.  Presently is a Certified Nurses Assistant studying to be a Registered Nurse in the Wake Technical Nursing Program.

Since the tender age of 13, growing up in Plainville, Massachusetts,  Jedrey has been  involved with every capacity that restaurants have to offer-from Busboy to General Manager.  He has a simple passion for the customer and their experience-to make it memorable.  On Jed’s days off you can find him with his nose in an old first edition novel, cross training, 25 mile/day bicycle rides, flea market hunting or at the shooting range mastering his shot on his 1911 Forty Five ACP pistol.  Jed has lived in 5 states over the last 12 years and has finally rooted to finding his love and future Mrs  as well as claiming Raleigh his home town.  Jed is a strong go to guy on our staff and others look to him for leadership.  He is one of our very best and strives to better himself with every day.

Both Jed & Jess add a very quiet dynamic of preparation and detail oriented flavor to our already dramatic staff.  They put their best foot forward every shift and their smiles can illuminate the pickiest of clientele.  A young couple that have old souls who are so trustworthy, charitable & thoughtful.   Both have memories like steel traps and have intense knowledge of all things Margaux’s.  Their love of food follows them home where they love eating and living healthy.