It is no easy feat to get your restaurant on the hot list within weeks of opening your doors for the first time. It is even harder to get named Chef of the Year by Chicago Eater. But local chef Jennifer Kim has done just that, helping to continue Andersonville’s rise as one of Chicago’s food destinations.

Since she opened the doors to her new Korean restaurant Passerotto at 5420 N. Clark last May, it has been non-stop praise for her culinary creations. After closing the Lakeview restaurant Snaggletooth, Kim fulfilled the dream of opening her first Korean eatery. But this was not your typical cuisine as she brought Italian influences to the restaurant’s menu.

Kim, who is Asian-American,  learned that there is a wonderful connection between Korean and Italian food through her time in Italy. She does not consider her fresh take on Korean cuisine as ‘fusion’ and it is definitely not ‘traditional’ either.

“Jennifer Kim doesn’t like being pigeonholed,” wrote the Chicago Eater. “Earlier this year, Kim unleashed Passerotto, a restaurant that challenges diners on what they know about Korean cuisine. While she may serve her mother’s kimchi, alongside a hefty portion of kalbi — one of the most beautifully plated dishes of meat in the city — Kim pushes beyond tradition in Andersonville.”

The 42-seat Passerotto, meaning ‘little sparrow’ in Italian, continues to rack up the awards. Kim is among a growing list of Edgewater and Andersonville chefs that are receiving much praise in Chicago including Mango Pickle’s Marisa Paolillo-Patel and Edge of Sweetness’ Adam Gueldener (to name just a couple).