Kasama (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | July 2020 |
| Founder | Tim Flores and Genie Kwon |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Chicago, Illinois |
Key people | Tim Flores (chef-owner), Genie Kwon (chef-owner) |
| Products | Filipino cuisine, 13-course tasting menu, pastries, lumpia, sandwiches |
Kasama is a Filipino dining establishment located in Chicago, Illinois, distinguished as the first Filipino restaurant worldwide to be awarded a Michelin star.
Description
Situated in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, Kasama derives its name from the Tagalog word meaning together. The venue offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner services, featuring a 13-course tasting menu during evening hours.
History
The restaurant is co-managed by married partners Tim Flores and Genie Kwon, who both act as chef-owners. Flores' vision was to introduce Filipino cuisine to a broader audience. Initially, Kasama operated as a cafe serving pastries crafted by Kwon in the mornings and lumpia along with sandwiches in the afternoons.
Kasama launched in July 2020 following this cafe model and later incorporated a tasting menu for dinner amid the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate staffing challenges.
The establishment was showcased in the television series The Bear, which highlights Chicago's culinary scene.
Reception
Louise Chu of the Chicago Tribune acclaimed Kasama as "one of the best restaurants in the world." In 2021, the Michelin Guide included its tasting menu on the Bib Gourmand list before awarding Kasama a Michelin star in 2022, marking it as the first Filipino restaurant globally to receive this honor.
In 2021, Esquire recognized Kasama among America's top new restaurants. The restaurant was also nominated for the 2022 James Beard Award for best restaurant. Robb Report placed Kasama third among America's best new restaurants in 2022 and honored Tim Flores and Genie Kwon as chefs of the year for launching their restaurant during the pandemic.
By 2024, Food & Wine ranked Kasama as the fifth best restaurant nationwide.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2020 establishments in Illinois
- Asian restaurants in Chicago
- Filipino restaurants in the United States
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand restaurants in the United States
- Michelin-starred Asian restaurants
- Michelin-starred restaurants in Illinois
- Restaurants established in 2020
- West Side, Chicago