25 Most Intriguing Chicagoans: Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark

ACE CHEFS. PARENTS. AVONDALIANS.

Although this dynamic chef duo aren’t native Chicagoans, as a city we’ve been quick to claim them as our own. Lucky for us, they have embraced our city too, settling in Avondale— where their Michelin-starred, Korean-American Parachute is located—with their three children. As winners of the James Beard award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region and owners of the brand-new Wherewithall, Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark continue to change Avondale’s reputation from the neighborhood that built Chicago into one that continues to flourish. “This neighborhood has helped us grow. You can’t change a whole city, but you can change where you work, play and live,” says Kim, a former Top Chef contestant. The pair assists with a neighborhood school culinary program and in boosting access to farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. “It feels,” Kim says, “very personal to us.”