Chef Charmaine Candler opens Charmz Kitchen in Country Club Hills

Charmaine Candler began her journey to restaurateur while she was tending bar at Aces Bar and Grill in Country Club Hills and would regularly bring in home-cooked food for her customers.

Four years ago, she officially opened Charmz Kitchen inside Aces and started serving her Southern cuisine and signature egg rolls dubbed Charmz Rolls. Candler also became known for her Philly steaks, Philly chicken, buffalo chicken and jerk chicken.

"The catering and walk-in traffic was overwhelming," she said, partly because of the space limitations of Aces’ kitchen.

She soon knew it was time to part ways and find a larger space.

"I left Aces but didn't want to leave my Country Club Hills family," she said.

She found space in the same plaza and earlier this month opened Charmz Kitchen at the northwest corner of 183rd Street and Cicero Avenue.

"We had our soft opening on Oct. 8. We wanted to make sure we had everything just right before we had our grand opening," Candler said.

The soft opening menu is not as extensive as the one she’ll offer after her grand opening on Nov. 12, but it still has her popular favorites.

"The menu will be quite diverse," she promised.

Candler said the new space has room for 10-15 diners inside, but she anticipates takeout and her popular catering service will be big. Delivery at present is through Door Dash and Uber Eats, but she hopes to offer her own delivery service soon.

A Chicken wing dinner to go from Charmz Kitchen. (Charmz Kitchen)

Since first opening, Candler said she has been busy catering for churches, government bodies, civic organizations and weddings.

Bishop Larry D. Trotter of Sweet Holy Spirit Church in Chicago said he first became acquainted with Candler's soulful cuisine more than two years ago while attending a ministers’ conference.

"Her catering operation was second to none," Trotter said. "Her delicious variety of foods was no short of brilliant. Her steaks, salads and Charmz egg rolls were a favorite at our event."

Candler expects to grow even larger.

"This is not the end. This is just a steppingstone toward my larger goal," she said.

Candler said she's been heading in this direction since she was a child.

She learned about cooking from her mother and great-grandmother as a child in the South.

"I’ve been cooking full-course meals since I was 11," she said. "I’ve learned my cooking skills from life experience rather than school."

However, she did earn cooking certifications and also a degree in business administration. That exposed her to diverse cooking styles and cuisines and prepared her to run her own business.

Charmaine Candler serves her Southern cuisine and signature egg rolls dubbed Charmz Rolls. (Charmz Kitchen)

Her favorite foods are Mexican and Northern Italian.

Candler said she was approached by many business leaders and elected officials who attempted to recruit her to a variety of municipalities to launch her new restaurant. She said she felt compelled to remain in Country Club Hills.

"Given the past success of Chef Candler's business model, we are encouraging our residents to patronize her new location," Country Club Hills Mayor James W. Ford said. "Offering diverse forms of eateries is a welcoming attraction for any town. Surely the Charmz Kitchen menu selection will allow our residents and visitors great options in satisfying their taste buds."

Hours at Charmz Kitchen will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Bob Bong is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.