Kimski, a restaurant located in Bridgeport, marked its 10th anniversary this month with an event scheduled for May 16. The restaurant is known for providing opportunities to emerging chefs and contributing to the local community through various projects.
Kimski has played a role in helping launch several independent restaurants in Chicago by offering its kitchen space and sharing industry knowledge. Chefs from Thattu, Meze Table, Jeong, and Pizz’Amici have all participated in pop-ups or residencies at Kimski.
The establishment was founded by brothers Ed and Mike Marszewski along with chef Won Kim. It operates next to Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar, which was started by their mother in 1986. The Marszewskis also own Marz Community Brewing Co., another business nearby. Kim said of the upcoming anniversary celebration featuring food from multiple Chicago restaurants: “Basically, it’s all my favorite restaurants.”
Kimski began as an extension of Monday industry nights at Maria’s bar, where Polish sausages topped with kimchi were served—a nod to the Marszewski brothers’ Korean-Polish heritage. Over time, guest chefs contributed dishes that blended Korean and Polish cuisines. “We really wanted to push the envelope of that fusion and pay homage to each culture with familiar flavors and ingredients from both,” Kim said.
Collaboration has been central since Kimski opened its doors. Chef Margaret Pak credited Kim for encouraging her early on: “She told me about her ambitions of doing Kerala food… She did an egg curry for staff meal and I was blown away.” Other chefs who held pop-ups include Lawrence Letrero of Bayan Ko and Norman Fenton before opening Cariño.
During the pandemic, Kimski operated a pay-as-you-can Community Canteen under the Marszewskis’ nonprofit organization, providing over 200,000 hot lunches across Chicago. Ed Marszewski said: “The entire program was about ensuring hospitality and industry workers had well-paid jobs and providing high-quality locally sourced whenever possible food to the constituents we serve served through churches, senior citizen homes and the general public.” Meze Table participated by preparing gyros for these efforts.
Kim also organizes annual events such as Community Soup Night at Co-Prosperity cultural center to bring together chefs citywide for charity work. Mike Moreno Jr., owner of Osito’s Tap in Bridgeport said: “Kimski is one of those places that actually reflects what Bridgeport is right now… It brings people together that normally wouldn’t be in the same room.” Looking ahead, Ed Marszewski hopes Kimski will continue serving as a platform for chef development while fostering inclusivity within Chicago’s culinary scene.
