Nathan Kim
Obélix | Chicago
SEPTEMBER 2024
Growing up in Chicago, Nathan Kim spent most Saturday mornings glued to the TV, watching Julia Child and Jacques Pépin on PBS. He was mesmerized by the beauty of their cooking, and it was there, in his living room, that his love affair with French cuisine began. After a brief stint at community college and a year at Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, Kim started working in restaurants. He got his first official kitchen job in the city’s financial district working under Chef James Okuno. Three and a half years later, he moved to Tru, a fine dining concept, where he cooked through every station and dove into French flavors. After two years working at Thomas Lents’ Sixteen Restaurant, Kim took on his first managerial role as a sous chef on the opening team at Bellemore under Rising Stars alum Jimmy Papadopoulos. He then joined the team at Rising Stars alum Dave Park’s Jeong, where he reconnected with his Korean roots. While working as part of the small team, he discovered a passion for the labor-intensive process of cooking Korean food.
After the pandemic, Kim met Oliver Poilevey, chef and co-owner of Le Bouchon, Taqueria Chingón, and Mariscos San Pedro. They bonded over their love for French food, and Poilevey invited Kim to join the opening team of his new venture, Obélix. Now executive chef of the modern French bistro, Kim focuses on mentoring his team and fostering the next generation of chefs. Through dishes like his dry-aged Rohan duck breast with buckwheat, ginger-Szechuan peppercorn cream, and butter-roasted chanterelles, Kim pays homage to his Korean background while utilizing traditional French techniques.
