Chef Marc Bianchini, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and owner of Milwaukee's On the Marc Restaurants (Osteria del Mondo, Cubanitas) is in the middle of creating what could be one of the most innovative dining experiences in the city's recent history. As the new culinary directory for Marcus Corporation, Bianchini has launched Kil@Wat at the Wyndham Hotel Downtown.

Humble, talented and committed to Milwaukee, Bianchini has quietly marched his Osteria del Mondo into its second decade of excellence while working with his wife, Marta, on Cubanitas and other projects including consultation on the trendy Carnevor on Milwaukee Street.

He's no longer involved at Carnevor, but even in the middle of opening a new restaurant he took time recently to talk food, Downtown, restaurants and life with OnMilwaukee.com's Jeff Sherman. Here is the latest edition of "Milwaukee Talks."

OMC: Why don't you start with your brief life story in two minutes?

Marc Bianchini: Well, I'm a born-and-raised New Yorker. I went to the Culinary Institute of America (1990). I worked in Italy on and off for two years. I worked at some of the better restaurants in New York: La Bernardin, San Domenico.

OMC: Did you know early on that food was going to be part of your life?

MB: When I was 14. After my first job in a restaurant I knew I wanted to be a restaurateur.

OMC: What was that first job?

MB: Making desserts at a local restaurant on Long Island called Crooked Hill. And then I went straight from high school straight into culinary school.

OMC: Were your parents in the restaurant business?

MB: No. My father is a radiologist; mother is in real estate.

OMC: What brought you to Milwaukee?

MB: I came out to Milwaukee to help open up Bartolotta's in Wauwatosa.

OMC: How was that connection made?

MB: Paul (Bartolotta) and I worked together (at San Domenico). I was just getting back from Italy, and what was supposed to be a couple of weeks turned into a couple of months because the chef they hired decided not to take the job at the last minute. So, I was already out here helping and I said I would help a little bit longer to obviously get him off the ground. I didn't want to leave him high and dry.

Next, I went to Chicago, worked for Lettuce Entertain You for about a year. And then I just decided to go and open up my own restaurant, Osteria del Mondo. Next month (on the 17th) marks the 12-year anniversary of Osteria.

OMC: Did you know a lot about Milwaukee when you got here?

MB: Nothing. Zero. I knew it was north of Chicago and that is was where Laverne and Shirley were from.

OMC: What was it like to have your own place?

MB: The early years at Osteria were really interesting in many ways. It being my first restaurant, obviously, there was a lot of passion behind it and that was pretty much the driving force. I wanted to take the gamble at a young age as opposed to waiting because I felt I was ready.

OMC: How old were you when you started it?

MB: Twenty-three when Osteria opened and it was a definite eye-opening experience. You know, it's a lot different when it's your money on the line and Osteria was -- back then -- extremely cutting edge for Milwaukee.

For example, when we first opened we did what the Italians called d'assaggio, which they call amuse bouche now. No one else in town was doing this, and it was a big learning curve because first people would always say, "do I have to pay for this?" And we were, like, "No, this is a little chef's tasting."

OMC: Who helped you build and grow in Milwaukee?

MB: There were several people from Milwaukee who were most influential and who I think helped keep my restaurant going for 12 years. One is Willie Davis, who I became friends with very early on because he had a place in the Knickerbocker. He told me a very valuable lesson. He said, "Remember, Marc, that you do not educate the market. The market dictates what they want and if they want to be educated, then fine; but if they don't want to be, then don't." And I think at that time Osteria was maybe a little too much for the culinary scene, but now it's the status quo. I'm proud that Osteria played a big part in changing the way people dine in Milwaukee.

The other (influential) person was Jay Baker who was the CEO of Kohl's Department Store. He had some valuable business lessons and advice on how to balance your dreams and your visions with the economic reality of what you're facing. There are all those things that we would like to do, but the reality is how can we do it?

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