Resy Guide Spotlights Chicago's Women-Led Restaurants

- Resy's focus on women-led restaurants is part of a national "Women of Food" series that the platform started in 2018 to spotlight trailblazing female chefs. The series has hosted dinners in cities across the globe, including San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and London, featuring acclaimed chefs like Dominique Crenn and Nancy Silverton. - The Chicago guide features several chefs who are recipients of the prestigious James Beard Award, including Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat, who won "Best Chef: Great Lakes" in 2013. Other local James Beard awardees include Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde (Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2017) and Beverly Kim of Parachute (Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2019). - Several women-led Chicago restaurants hold coveted Michelin stars. Kasama, co-owned by Genie Kwon, is the first Filipino restaurant to receive a Michelin star and has been elevated to two stars. Mariya Moore-Russell became the first Black woman to be awarded a Michelin star in 2019 for her work as Chef de Cuisine at Kumiko. - The guide reflects a broader movement within Chicago's culinary scene. Beyond individual accolades, women are forming organizations to support one another, such as The Abundance Setting, a nonprofit started by Chef Beverly Kim to address gender inequality in the hospitality industry. - Nationally, women-owned businesses represent 42% of all U.S. businesses as of 2025, employing 9.4 million people and generating $1.9 trillion in revenue. Despite this, female-only founded startups have historically received a disproportionately small percentage of venture capital funding. - The support for women-led culinary ventures extends beyond just chefs. Katrina Bravo, co-owner of the Michelin-starred Esmé, integrates art and philanthropy into the fine-dining model. At HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen, Danielle Dang is not only the co-owner and Director of Operations but is also recognized for significant community involvement.