For third-generation chef, cooking is in his blood

Opening new restaurants is nothing new to Mychael Bonner, who launched 36 Maggiano's restaurants around America.

Now executive chef of Reel Club, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises' newly opened seafood spot in Oak Brook, Bonner, has a long history with the Chicago-based restaurant company. He first joined Lettuce in 1992, when the firm owned Maggiano's (it later sold the concept to Brinker International) and became vice president of culinary operations.

Bonner returned to Lettuce in 2005 and became executive chef of Di Pescara in Northbrook, where he still takes a hand.

The chef began his career as a high school student working in kitchens in Memphis, Tenn., and in his hometown of Muncie, Ind. He went on to study at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, and then worked at the Signature Room at the 95th and Charlie Trotter's.

Bonner lives in Orland Park with his wife and two children.

What led you to become a chef? I'm third generation in the restaurant business. My mom and my grandmother both cooked at The Peabody Hotel in Memphis. I don't know if I ever really thought about becoming a cook so much as I fell in love with food in totality.

I used to spend time in Memphis visiting family and I met my girlfriend -- now my wife -- and I persuaded my mom to let me finish my junior year in high school there. I worked at a French/Italian restaurant called the Palm Court for chef Michael Cohall. He just kind of opened my eyes to the industry.

I tried other jobs. I worked at The Gap. I guess I didn't fit their profile. So I just went back to cooking.

You're one of a very few African-American chefs. How has that affected you? It has never really affected my approach or my craft.

Cooking was the one of the only jobs African Americans could have for many years. For my mother, my grandmother, it was the only option. So some see a stigma.

For me, it's something I really enjoy doing. I've had great influences in my life and they've been colorblind.

I worked at the 95th with David DiGregorio (now at LEYE's Osteria via Stato), who is now my very best friend. One day, he came to me and said, 'I've decided to leave. Would you like to come with me?'

He really nurtured me and developed me as a person.

Was the menu and concept at Reel Club your idea? We collaborated. I've got a pretty good team. We spent three to 4½ months coming up with ideas.

We have some favorites off the menu from Di Pescara, but here, we're trying to be hipper, a little more edgy. There's a lot of trial and error.

For us, it always starts with the food. We start with one section of the menu, and from there, it's easy to go on. Here, we started with cold appetizers. We often start with the weakest area.

Do you have trouble getting some products? We're getting fresh fish flown in every day, sometimes twice a day. We're also highlighting some Midwestern products, like Lake Superior whitefish. There are species of fish I'd love to have, but you can only get them on the West Coast. Whitefish seems common here, but it is one fish you can really only get in the Midwest. In Atlanta, they pay $9 a pound for it.

What does it take to get that kind of service from suppliers? Money. Also, a shared vision. They want, just as I do, to have the best product available. They become my partners.

Do you have favorite ingredients? I like good salt. I'm excited about new things, or something presented differently.

What do you in your spare time? Lately, I've been very horizontal. I try to spend as much time as possible with my family.

Tell us about this recipe. Cheese Bobbers. These are the bread we're serving. They're based on a Brazilian recipe and made with tapioca starch.

I buy the starch at a South American grocery on Southport (El Mercado, 3767 N. Southport Ave., Chicago).

Try these at home or at Reel Club, 272 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 368-9400.

Cheese Bobbers -- Pao de Queijo

3 eggs

1½ cups tapioca starch, see note

1½ cups sour tapioca starch, see note

¾ cup corn oil

1½ cups milk

1½ cups grated parmesan cheese or cheddar

¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two, 12-cup mini-muffin tins.

Combine the eggs, starches, oil and milk in a blender and mix well. Lightly mix in the cheese. Add salt as needed.

Divide into the pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned, rearranging the pans halfway through. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 dozen.

Cook's note: Tapico starch is also called almidon dulce, polvilho doce, harina de yuca, cassava flour or manioc flour. Sour tapioca starch is also almidon agrio, polvilho azedo, sour starch, sour cassava flour or sour manioc flour. Look for these at Latin American groceries. Some gourmet stores might also carry them.