Parachute closing James Beard Award-winning restaurant, planning new chapter in Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Parachute, one of Chicago's most acclaimed restaurants, plans to close its doors in Avondale before the end of the month, but that's far from the end of their story.
Owners, chefs, and wife and husband Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark plan a new chapter, with a new concept in the same space later this year.
In restaurants like Parachute, everything customers experience is just an extension of the artist; a consequence of the chef.
"You're not just a chef. You're creating a culture. … You're responsible for so much more than just this plate of food," said Kim. "It takes a lot of thought and intention behind all the consequences of your actions."
That's especially true for Kim. When she and her husband opened Parachute ten years ago, they ushered the city's tastes toward something too many Chicagoans hadn't encountered before: Korean food.
"It was our first opportunity to tell our story unplugged, like not having to interpret something else. It was our voice, and I think that was groundbreaking for a lot of people," Kim said. "We opened in 2014 with my parents signing off their house, and a bank loan for $200,000, and a Kickstarter. It was very much a stretch to get this open, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but it was our dream."
Kim said her dreams have evolved, so she and her business will follow suit
"Right now, I sense it is the time for change for us. And sometimes change can be hard for a lot of people who are so used to you being the same all the time, but people evolve, people change," she said.
The story she started to tell through Parachute isn't ending.
"We're just taking a pause for a new chapter," Kim said.
Kim and Clark are giving themselves a chance to reassess, to realign, and to start small again.
"Now, all of a sudden, you get the James Beard [Award] or like the Michelin [star], and now people are expecting more, and sometimes it pushes you, sort of changes you a little bit over time," Kim said.
Kim likened it to a change in season.
"You can feel it in the air. You can feel it in your soul. I mean, we've had like a lot of like ups and downs, ups and downs. People also are struggling financially right now, right?" she said.
From widespread financial hardships to sociopolitical turmoil of the post-pandemic years, the world looks and feels changed from when Parachute first rocked the culinary scene in 2014.
"I think it's like, okay, let's tune into that. Let's give them an experience that is accessible … even more accessible than what we're doing right now," Kim said.
Kim said she could feel the collective longing for something different and cheaper.
"There is this nostalgia that of like a time, almost like an innocence. You know, I feel like that that comfort is really important to go back to," she said.
So they're reconfiguring the space, reimagining the concept, and ending this iteration of Parachute to make space for a new venture.
"We're going to put something really, really fun in this space. All I can say, it's going to be fun, delicious," Kim said. "Parachute cool vibes, chill, unassuming, humble."
So, among all the change, some things just won't.
In two weeks, Parachute will enter full-blown metamorphosis mode as Kim and Clark prepare for their next chapter, which is expected to open in the same space later this year.
Meantime, while they're completely booked through Parachute's closing, you can always check for available tables in person in case someone cancels or misses their reservation.