Former Coco’s chefs launch 18 Acres Hospitality for private catering

The husband-and-wife chefs who departed from Coco’s Seafood and Steaks in Oconomowoc in spring have launched 18 Acres Hospitality, a privatechef catering company.

The goal is to open their own restaurant in Lake Country, Chris Ghobrial said, while continuing their catering business.

He was the head chef at Coco’s since its opening, in February 2020; his wife, Annie, was the pastry chef there.

The two are veterans of Milwaukee restaurants. He’s worked at restaurants including Il Mito in Wauwatosa, Buckley’s and the former Millioke in Milwaukee, the former Hom Wood-fired Grill in Glendale and for the Bartolotta Restaurants as executive sous chef at Discovery World. She worked for the Bartolotta group for about a dozen years, for Outpost as bakery manager and at Fiddleheads, which has a bakery for its cafes.

Now, he said, “It’s time to focus on 18 Acres.”

It’s named for the hay farm he grew up on and strongly identifies with in Bedford, Virginia, in sight of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every year, his family received a steer from the cattle farmer who used the hay from their farm.

That, combined with helping his grandparents with their garden and his love of foraging, sets the tone for the business; 18 Acres has begun working with some local farmers for its ingredients.

The Ghobrials already had prepared in-home dinners on the side while at Coco’s. “It was just kind of a natural thing to continue on that path” with 18 Acres, he said.

The company typically prepares dinners for 10 to 14 people in clients’ homes, although 18 Acres recently secured a venue for serving up to 20 people.

Also popular lately: backyard barbecues for 30 to 40 people, typically, but also one for 70 guests. 18 Acres takes on mingling cocktail parties for fundraisers in addition to seated, multicourse dinners.

The couple draw on their backgrounds in Italian and French cuisines as well as steaks and seafood, but menus are customized for each event, Chris Ghobrial said.

“My style really is just trying to do a modern American approach,” he said, with an eye toward “comfort and bringing back a childhood memory that brings joy and happiness ... but adding that little bit of an upscale twist to it.”

Contact the chefs at 18acres or by email at chefghobrial@gmail.com or by phone, (414) 345-7753.

Contact Carol at carol.deptolla @jrn.com or (414) 224-2841, or through the Journal Sentinel Food & Home page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter at @mkediner or Instagram at @mke_ diner.

COURTESY OF 18 ACRES HOSPITALITY The new 18 Acres Hospitality focuses on private dinners and other events in clients’ homes, typically 10 to 20 people at a time. This dish is pan-roasted chicken saltimbocca, wrapped in speck, served with potato puree and lemon-caper white wine sauce.

COURTESY OF 18 ACRES HOSPITALITY Desserts, like these Key lime tartlets, are made by 18 Acres Hospitality’s pastry chef.

EBONY COX/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Chris Ghobrial is a veteran of Milwaukee-area restaurants. He most recently was head chef at Coco’s Seafood and Steakhouse in Oconomowoc.

COURTESY OF 18 ACRES HOSPITALITY Annie Ghobrial of 18 Acres Hospitality previously worked in pastry for Bartolotta Restaurants, among others, and most recently at Coco’s Seafood and Steaks.