Bill Kim

A graduate of Triton College and Kendall College, Kim immersed himself early in his career in classical French cuisine, working alongside such world-renowned chefs as Pierre Pollin, Jean Banchet and Charlie Trotter. In the 1990’s, he honed his skills and developed his distinct style at other acclaimed restaurants, among them Susanna Foo in Philadelphia and New York City’s Bouley Bakery.

In 2008, with the opening of urbanbelly, his BYOB noodle and dumpling joint in an unassuming strip mall in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood, Kim spurred the wave of fine-dining chefs branching into creative casual dining. The following year, he opened Belly Shack in Logan Square, a mashup of Korean and Puerto Rican food inspired by his wife Yvonne’s Puerto Rican heritage. In 2012, Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group brought bellyQ which was modern interpretation of Korean barbecue, to the bustling Randolph Street corridor, and in 2016, also opened a second urbanbelly in Wicker Park.

Kim’s first cookbook,”Korean BBQ: Master Your Grill in Seven Sauces,” was released in April 2018. In October 2018, he and Cornerstone Restaurant Group opened a full-service restaurant at Oakbrook Center in partnership with Crate and Barrel. The Table at Crate officially opened in July 2019. In the fall of 2019, Chef Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group opened a kiosk inside the largest Timeout Market in North America. In fall of 2024 Chef Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group opened restaurants inside of Inspire Entertainment Resort in Incheon, South Korea.