Tavistock chef seasons classics with whimsy

Bobby Varua is a darn good cook, and he doesn't mind saying so. The thing is, he's not the only one saying it.

As corporate chef for Tavistock Restaurants it's Schaumburg and Downers Grove locations of ZED451, Varua infuses his classical training with a whimsical twist and always gets a thrill when his food makes a customer smile. The Evanston resident is a firm believer in never overcomplicating a meal, saying, "It's amazing how the simplest dish can make someone so happy."

How did you become interested in the food industry? I have been cooking my whole life because my father was in it. As a child I would help him, but the family joke is that I would only be allowed in the kitchen for about 60 seconds before he would get frustrated and kick me out. I can remember standing on a stool and peeling squid at about 6 years old. I became a chef because of my dad.

What was your first job? I grew up working in restaurants and started out at about 14 years old working in a pizzeria. I mostly moped and cleaned up, but my boss would let me make garlic knots out of unused pizza dough. I guess he figured I couldn't mess them up too badly, and I took a lot of pride in that little task. After that I did all kinds of odd jobs, including watering, bar tendering, dishwashing etc.

What did you learn from all of those odd jobs? I learned that the restaurant business involves a lot of physical work. Now that I'm older, I think it's more of a mental workout.

Was being a chef always your first plan? No, actually. I studied criminal justice and almost went into law enforcement. I finally realized that I did not want to follow that path and pursued the culinary arts.

Where did you attend culinary school? I graduated from the New York Restaurant School, which is now known as The Art Institute of New York City, about 10 years ago.

How do you describe your style? I have a classical French background that I combine with American contemporary and modern twists. Fresh and seasonal products drive my cuisine.

How do you divide your time between the two restaurants? I try to spend my time evenly at both of them, but I am also working on opening a third restaurant in downtown Chicago next year and that takes up a lot of my time.

What do you like the most about being a chef? I really love this business and the craft. It goes back thousands of years and so does the joy of seeing someone enjoy what you create. I like standing around the corner and waiting for the reaction. I just love to cook. The number of cookbooks in my house rivals that of Barnes and Noble.

What are your three most trusted ingredients? Cilantro, mint and garlic are my favorites. I always use those three as a base. Cilantro has a great tropical feel and one should never underestimate the flavor of really fresh garlic.

What is your favorite food? My dad made linguini with white clam sauce all the time, and I still consider it one of my favorites. My sauce is actually coming close to it now.

Do you have any plans for the future? Well, first I'd like to win a million dollars. Other than that I'm going to be cooking for a while and try to be as revolutionary as possible. I want to take my cooking and ZED451 to the next level in cuisine, service, drinks and every other aspect of the experience.

What do you do in your off time? I love playing with my nine-month-old baby girl as well as golfing, fishing and enjoying life.

Do you cook at home for holidays? I sometimes do, though I can always use the excuse that I cook all day at work. I like to keep it simple though and make something like quiche.

Tell us about this recipe. Goat cheese encrusted rack of lamb is a very classic and comforting item on my menu.

Goat Cheese Encrusted New Zealand Rack of Lamb

1 rack of lamb (New Zealand, or domestic)

½ pound unsalted butter, softened

½ cup goat cheese, softened

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped mint

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

For the crust: To a medium bowl, add butter, goat cheese, cream, panko, parsley, mint, garlic, salt and pepper; whip with an electric mixer until fully combined.

On a large sheet of plastic wrap, form the mixture into a roulade or tube (width or diameter of the roll should be equivalent to the diameter of the eye of the lamb). Roll mixture up and with kitchen twine tie each end of the roll so that the mixture does not leak out of the sides. Set in refrigerator until hard.

For the lamb: Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Season lamb with salt and pepper and sauté in hot pan until golden brown on each side. Remove from pan and cool down. Once cooled, take knife between each bone and cut down to obtain individual chops. Lay each chop on a half sheet pan.

Take the goat cheese roll and slice -inch thick slices so you have individual disks. Place one cheese disk on each individual chop (repeat this with all the chops) and set aside. Place in oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Serves two.

Chef Bobby Varua, ZED451, Downers Grove and Schaumburg