“This is the year to tell our story again,” Beverly Kim, the co-chef and co-owner of Chicago’s acclaimed Wherewithall restaurant, says. Kim and her spouse Johnny Clark—who also own the beloved Parachute restaurant—debuted the prix-fixe spot in the summer of 2019, only to have to shutter the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple reopened Wherewithall in the summer of 2021 with chef de cuisine Tayler Ploshehanski taking charge in the kitchen, but continued pandemic-related disruptions made Kim feel like the team couldn’t get into a groove.
This year feels different, Kim says. More people are getting back into the habit of eating out again, she says, and after a two-week winter break at Wherewithall, Kim says the team is raring to go.
OpenTable sat down with Kim to discuss what’s in store for 2023.
This interview has been edited for clarity.

Will you be debuting anything new after the winter break?
Beverly Kim: We still have our four-course prix-fixe menu that’s changing pretty much every week. We do have an a la carte menu if you want a little bit more of a chill evening in the bar area. We are planning some cool events this year and are just looking forward to continuing our service. Wherewithal is just the kind of restaurant that Johnny and I would love to go to. I’m excited to have people back in. Wherewithall isn’t just meant to be a birthdays and anniversaries place. It is meant for everyday luxuries [the tasting menu costs $85 per person]. I want to get away from this idea that Wherewithall is a tasting menu restaurant and stress the fact that it’s more like a four-course bistro menu with modern American finesse.
What are you looking forward to in terms of the menu?
Kim: I’m excited to keep supporting our local farmers and I’m excited about our partnership with Scribe winery [a Sonoma, CA winery that’s run by fourth-generation California farmers and brothers, Andrew and Adam Mariani]. I’m really excited by the vendors we get to work with, the creativity with which we use their ingredients, and the fact that we get to showcase their products in an accessible way. It is a little luxury, like you’re treating yourself.
You’ve continually championed mental and physical health in the restaurant industry. Why was taking a winter break important to you?
Kim: We are an indie restaurant group and as working chefs and owners we understand that in order to stay creative and be at the top of your game we need rest and restoration so we can come back with vigor and passion. This is what you would experience at our restaurant. Our commitment to our craft is so much of a lifestyle. There is no perfect work life balance, but we try to achieve that as close as we can. Our desire is to have a sustainable restaurant. Growing up in restaurants, we know that burnout is a real thing, and we are in this for the long game. That’s why we are closed on Sundays and Mondays, why we take off on holidays, and why we have a paid time off program.

What has it been like stepping away from day-to-day operations at Wherewithall?
Kim: We are still very much involved with the day-to-day operations at the restaurant, but I see this [Tayler Ploshehanski managing the kitchen] as a growth opportunity both ways and for us to have a strong team. It is a fallacy to think that you can do it all. This past year seeing so much growth from her and from our leadership has been really amazing. It is all about balancing the force and this gives us more time to work on the business.
What are you most excited about in 2023?
Kim: We didn’t get to tell our story loud and clear the first time, and we just need to home in on that this year. I want our guests to have fun, to have a moment away from their phones, a moment with their friends or family. This is one of the coolest neighborhoods [Wherewithall is located in Avondale]. We really want to give our guests a Chicago experience that is thought-provoking and inspiring, but in a simple way. We avoid being excessive and fussy; we love quality and accessibility. We have a really cool private dining space that we used for a Ukranian pop-up last year. We are thinking of doing more pop-ups, doing more events, and even exploring the idea of using the restaurant as an all-day space.
The fun has gotten lost a little bit in the past few years, and having fun is really the point of having a restaurant. It is January 2023, and I feel optimistic. This year I feel there is a bit more certainty and stability. I feel delighted for everyone who has been here with us, and I’m excited to keep growing this community. As long as we are bringing joy to people, that fuels us to go forward.
Wherewithall reopens today following a two-week winter break.
–Tanay Warerkar is a content marketing manager at OpenTable.