Our Chef

Robert Nahra, aka Chef Bobby to most, has successfully created many unique mouthwatering recipes and dishes that have skyrocketed his culinary career over the years, combining simple, local, and fresh ingredients that are tied to his roots of Middle Eastern and Italian cuisine. The Lakeland name was established in 1976, by Robert’s mother, Sandra, who owned and operated her own catering business. At the age of 6, Robert started to help his mother in the kitchen and began to learn several recipes along with valuable life lessons from his mom. His mother not only taught him what ingredients to use, but she taught him how to put his heart into each dish, and that cooking is an art, and each dish should be created with passion. Robert’s Mother lovingly encouraged his growth and to pursue his career in the culinary arts. He credits his Mother for molding him into who he is today.

Chef Bobby has turned many heads within the Metro Detroit area over the past several years. He is a familiar face on FOX 2 Detroit weekly Cooking School as well as hosting Detroit Lions tailgates at every home game, WXYZ-TV Channel 7 “Just Ask” talk show, and is included in Chuck Bennett’s Society Confidential Column in the Detroit News. In 2017, Chef Bobby teamed up with Medical Weight Loss Clinic, as their culinary advisor, to give cooking demos, recipe ideas, and to encourage a healthy lifestyle to embellish a more aromatic array of healthy entrees, in the Tri-County area Farmers Markets along with “Meatless Monday” segments on FOX 2 Detroit. Additionally, Chef Bobby was given the privilege of partnering up with Tom and Vicki Celani at their Freedom Hill Banquet Center in Sterling Heights, which has been a hotspot for many upscale events Chef Bobby has been a part of. Where else can you find Chef Bobby? How about Hour Magazine “Best Dressed” 2017 issue. You will find Chef Bobby often on 910AM Superstation and Mojo in the Morning on 95.5, as he hits the airwaves talking about what’s hot in the culinary world. For a fun Saturday night check out Chuck Bennett and Chef Bobby on their new TV Show “LIT” on Wadl-Channel 38, here in the metro Detroit area.

Chef Bobby is nationally ranked after Baron Chocolates brought him on-board as their Chocolatier. Calibrating flavors and flavor profiles for several products. While growing up, he dabbled in the deserts and chocolates as a hobby creating candied delights with his mother. This was one of his favorite things to do while in the kitchen. A dream come true, he was invited to attend the 2016 Academy Awards ceremonies in Los Angeles, California representing Baron Chocolates and hand crafting mouthwatering truffles onsite at several of the A-list festivities. The coveted candies included several unique flavors: spicy pumpkin seed, brownie and caramel, and coconut and almond. His chocolate creations were included in the Oscar swag bags for the celebrities that attended the event. Chef Bobby has also had the honor of working side by side with the world renowned tennis athlete and star, Maria Sharapova at the 2016 Snack & Candy Expo in Chicago launching her new healthy chocolate snacks, Sugarpova. The two have partnered together and Chef Bobby will be producing her line of delicious treats in the near future. Chef Bobby also hopes to open his very own chocolate shop very soon in Eastern Market in Downtown Detroit.

Chef Bobby believes in giving back to the community as much as he possibly can by donating his time and talent to help others. His culinary team along with his family donate seven-course gourmet wine dinners to charities such as St. Jude, Angels of Hope, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Father Solanus Casey Center, the Full Circle Foundation, and sits on the board of directors for Feeding the Need Ministry Macomb County. Chef Bobby and his team supplement food and provisions week after week for those in need at the ministry. Last spring, Chef Bobby and his team put together picnic baskets for 826 inner city kids on a trip to Cedar Point for the Horatio Williams Foundation and included several delicious and healthy options for the kids to enjoy. Chef Bobby goes out of his way on many occasions to help those in need. His heart is not only in the kitchen, but is also
on his sleeve.

Chef Bobby is extremely family oriented and loves to include his wife Nadya, two daughters, Nadine and Karina, and his Frenchie pup Brutus in his career, in several different ways. As a family they work together to help give back to the community and learn more and more about the business. “It’s extremely important to devote at least two nights a week to family dinners and to spend some quality time with my family, whether its making dinner together, listening to Nadine talk about her crazy shift in the ER or helping Karina train for her lacrosse tournament.” Says Chef Bobby. As an avid health and fitness enthusiast Chef Bobby teaches spin (cycling) classes at LA Fitness in Grosse Pointe Woods and enjoys playing golf and tennis.