Former St. Charles resident is top chef at downtown restaurant
By TIM KANE
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tkane@kcchronicle.com
ST. Charles – Mark Hemmer puts the spin in spinach casserole.
Hemmer, 26, grew up in St. Charles and ditched plans to go into public relations, instead becoming a chef.
Hemmer last month became a partner and executive chef at Flatwater Restaurant, located just west of Marina City on a scenic stretch of the Chicago River, tucked under the bridge at Clark Street.
Paula Hemmer, Mark's mom, said she remembers the conversation she had with her son years ago when he was studying at Loras College in Iowa.
He told her about his culinary aspirations.
"I told him to finish his degree first, but also to follow his passion," Paula Hemmer said.
She knew her son was interested in cooking because he always liked to cook at home.
"He even cleans up after himself," Paula Hemmer said. "He's an extremely organized person.
"We bought him a grill when he first went to Loras. Most college kids that want a hot dog throw one in the microwave. Mark would cook his hot dogs on the grill, chop onions and make relish from scratch."
Flatwater has been in existence for three years and has had three executive chefs in that time, Mark Hemmer said.
He said he turned the place around by improving the menu.
The food there is now worthy of the view the restaurant has of the river, he said.
Hemmer also recruited three former classmates – graduates of the culinary program at Kendall College in Chicago – to do the cooking.
"It's an all-Kendall Kitchen," he said.
A popular dish is halibut, served about 48 hours after being pulled from the Alaskan waters, and flown in to Chicago.
Another Flatwater favorite is ratatouille, a vegetable stew consisting of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers, seasoned with garlic and herbs. The vegetables are grown by local farmers, he added.
Paula Hemmer said her favorite dish cooked by her son is called "Dave's Chicken," served with grits.
"I didn't think I'd ever like grits, and I never order chicken in a restaurant, but the flavor of the two together is so unique," she said.
