"We wanted to create a space that feels like an extension of home," says Kim: "an intimate, laid-back place with innovative cocktails, sool, and natural wine, paired with flavorful dishes inspired by Korean American heritage, with a high fidelity listening experience. Vintage and new vinyl records spin, curated by friends or guest DJs, or even the chefs themselves."

"Anelya, named after my husband and chef-partner's Ukrainian grandmother, is our homage to Ukraine's unique cuisine and heritage. It started as a series of pop-ups to raise money for Ukraine after the war broke out, and then inspired us to create a restaurant focused on Ukrainian cuisine. The menu is rooted in traditional dishes with modern interpretations and personal twists."

"I have a special place in my heart for Prairie Grass Cafe. I reached out to the chef Sarah Stegner when I was in high school, and she has mentored me ever since. She has always been a leader in the movement for sustainable agriculture and supporting local farmers. When I was just a young cook, seeing her get married and have a family—it normalized that for me and inspired me. She's a founding board member of The Abudance Setting. It's a beautiful relationship I've had since 1996!"

"Amy Morton is the owner of The Barn Steakhouse, and Debbie Gold, the chef, was one of our first mentors in our program. Her story is very inspiring: She has this very lived experience of raising two daugthers as a single mom, working back-of-house without a lot of flexibility. She was so passionate about her career, and she wants this to be a better industry for all of us. She's an amazing chef."

"Hewn Bakery is run by two moms who both have children: Julie Matthei and Ellen King. Their product is phenomenal: They use a lot of heirloom seeds and heritage grains, and they have an amazing sourdough program. We've partnered with them on a few things; they're very involved in the community, speaking out about gender inequities and just living out such a beautiful business. I'm a huge fan of them; they're amazing women who really give back in a lot of ways."

"Demera's chef and owner, Tigist Reda, is an immigrant from Ethiopia, and she's been very active in the fight for justice for the victims of war crimes toward women. At Demera, her injera bread is so delicious, and everything has really deep flavors and balance. It's from her heart. I'm amazed by her and how she got her business up and running, meanwhile being a mom and helping others. She's a huge player in our community, she's a wonderful woman, and her food is amazing."

"Becca Grothe and her husband, Cam Woren, are the sweetest people, and the sandwiches at TriBecca's are really delicious. Becca is a really strong chef who worked with Honey Butter Fried Chicken for a long time, and now she has her own business, and her goal is to really give back to the community as well. They're in my Avondale neighborhood. Becca has a very young son, and it really meant a lot for her to be in connection with other chefs who were raising children during the pandemic."

"Eden recently opened in Avondale. They have a really cool breakfast and lunch menu right now, and it's great for the community to have something like that. I got to know the owner, Jodie Fyfe, through her catering company called Paramount. We've done a few events together, and she joined our board at The Abundance Setting. All the things that she lived through as a woman coming up in the industry are a reminder of why we need this organization—to tell these stories."

"Soul & Smoke has a location in Avondale, as well as one in Evanston and in Time Out Market in the West Loop. Their barbecue is really delicious; it's the real deal when it comes to brisket and ribs. The husband-and-wife behind it, Heather Bublick and D'Andre Carter, are parents, and they've been excited about having a space to talk about parenting in the industry. They have helped us fundraise for events for The Abundance Setting. I highly recommend giving one of their locations a visit."

"What Diana Davila has brought to the community is amazing. She is a powerful presence. Her food is delicious—it's elegant, it's fun. Her staff is amazing. Her space is really cool; it's small and special. And she's doing it with young kids, just like me. She's dynamite. Her food is insane. I love her as a person. She has given back in so many ways. She has been a leading advocate for undocumented restaurant workers. She's a strong force, and everyone should go try her food!"

"Dana Cree, an amazing, intelligent, smart, witty, talented woman, now has two locations of Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the second in Lincoln Park. I'm happy to see her growing. She's always the first to say yes to supporting events with popsicles or ice cream. She's so supportive and hands-on. She has a young daughter, and we got to know each other more more in the pandemic, because of our shared struggles and shared hopes. I'm so glad she's in Chicago and we get to have her amazing frozen treats!"

"Stephanie Izard doesn't need much introduction! She's a very hard-working mom, and recently opened a location of Girl & the Goat in Los Angeles. She does a lot of travel, which I think is amazing, for someone to continue to grow at her level. She was one of our participating chefs in our mentorship program, which was a way for us to show that we support working moms in this industry by dropping off food as a powerful message of care."

"Deanne and Rick Bayless are a huge inspiration to me. Deanne runs front-of-house and operations, and their daughter Lanie, who was raised in this industry and works in their restaurant group, just had a baby, so it's an intergenerational family of mothers! I've always looked up to the Baylesses because they constructed this schedule that is very pro-family, choosing to be closed on Sundays and Mondays, and they're really involved in gender equity. They have given so much to the community."

"Kathie Vega Hardie opened A Taste of the Philippines during the pandemic. Her lumpia is amazing! She is doing such great Filipino food and is a working mom."

"Sandra Holl, who runs this amazing bakery in Lincoln Park, is on the Abundance Setting board. She's passionate about making this a better industry. Her pastries are so good, and she's an inspiring, wonderful woman, with two daughters. She's a staple! Just a wonderful person. She has really contributed to the community. She did pies for a Thanksgiving food drop-off, and everything she does has such a beautiful touch."

"Ashley and Rick Ortiz run a super-tight business at Antique Taco. They're great people, and the food is amazing. Ashley runs front-of-house and is a working mom. Their business is continuing to grow, despite it all, and Ashley is fundamental to that as a leader."

"If you're checking out the Lyric Opera House, go grab some food at One North Kitchen! Erica Fischer is the executive chef there, and she was a mentee in our program. She has two young kids, and for me to see her go from sous chef (we worked together when I was at Aria) to executive chef is very powerful to me. We both worked for the woman chef Jackie Shen back in the day, and I think there's something valuable about seeing women chefs early in your career: It makes it clear and viable."

"Brown Sugar Kitchen, a bakery run by Stephanie Hart, is a staple on the South Side. She's so amazing and such an inspiration as a working mom. She's a success in her neighbordhood and beyond. Her cakes look just amazing!"

"Geri Guidote Hernandez is a Filipino-American working mom who does creative empanadas at Savory Crust, which has locations in Carol Stream and Morton Grove. She's tenacious, fun, passionate, so positive, always smiling—someone I want to know more! I've gotten to know her through the pandemic, as we've come together through the shared challenges of running a food business."

"Bittersweet is one of Chicago’s most iconic pastry shops, located for 30 years in the Lakeview neighborhood. They have a daytime cafe program, European-style pastries, and the most beautiful celebratory cakes. Pastry chef/owner Mindy Gohr is a recent new mom, and Bittersweet is a staple pastry shop in Chicago!"

"This is a Lincoln Square gem with a great breakfast and lunch cafe menu. Don’t miss their baked items too, which Megan Miller—mom of two!—is well known for!"

"The pastry program at Elske is exquisite because of Anna Posey, the Executive Pastry Chef and part of the husband-wife duo behind the Michelin-starred contemporary American restaurant. She's also a recent new mom."

"Karen Urie Shields is also part of a husband-wife team, who run a contemporary two-star Michelin American tasting menu on one floor and a bar/lounge on another, while raising two daughters."

"This is a Latin restaurant in Logan Square owned by Yari Vargas. Her background is Puerto Rican, Honduran, and Guatamalan, which translates into her cuisine. She's known for her flan! And she's the mom of two daughters."