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Chef Erwin Drechsler, 49, owner of Erwin American Cafe and Bar in Chicago, became a dad late in life, after he and his wife, Kathy, adopted two baby boys. Today Zack is 4 and Jake is 2 and both boys are quite active.
The job of chef is demanding and the hours are often long, including Saturdays and Sundays - the precious weekend days that kids depend on for spending time with their fathers. Naturally, this brings about conflicting feelings for Drechsler, who loves both his job and his kids.
“When I think about how to spend more time with my kids, it stirs up thoughts about the relationship I had with my father at that age, who was always working. He didn’t spend much time with us,” says Drechsler. “He would return |
from work, eat a TV dinner, and watch the news; this was his focus. There wasn’t the kind of interaction parents today try to have with their kids.”
Because Drechsler spends a lot of time at his restaurant, he makes Zack and Jake feel special by bringing them along and introducing them to his staff. While Jake is still too young to comprehend the restaurant business, Jake understands that it’s his daddy’s name on the awning in front of the restaurant.
“He likes coming in here and talking to the staff, and he understands my passion for food. He loves to grocery shop with us,” says Drechsler. “The real guilt comes when I leave on Saturday for work. I see other dads outside playing with their kids and I feel bad for my kids, but I have to accept it and carve out time in other ways.
“I often eat late at night after I get home around 9 p.m. Zack always wants to be part of that social activity and sits down and has something with me,” says Drechsler. “One interesting aspect of me being a chef is that Zack, unlike most young children, will try any kind of food, and he appreciates that I deal with food in its raw state. He likes to watch the foodstuffs become a finished dish. He recently said, ‘I’m going to be a good cooker, too, Daddy.’ That cracked me up.”
Drechsler shares a recipe that will help both dads and kids be good “cookers” when they work together as a baking team.
Chocolate Chubbie Cookies
Chef Erwin Drechsler
Erwin American Cafe & Bar
Makes 24 Servings
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 ounces unsalted butter
3 extra large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a double boiler melt semi-sweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate and butter. Allow to cool.
3. In a mixing bowl beat eggs with sugar until thick or ribbons form. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla.
4. Sift together dry ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into chocolate mixture. Do not over mix.
5. Gently stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
6. Fill a 1/4 cup measure with dough and drop dough onto sheet. Allowing 3 inches between cookies.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are slightly cracked. Allow to cool on cookie sheet.
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