Chef Johnny Clark, chef/co-owner of Anelya restaurant, 3472 N. Elston Ave.; anelyarestaurant.com
Clark, along with his wife Chef Beverly Kim were co-owners of the critically acclaimed, Michelin-starred Parachute, which closed earlier this year. Now they run Parachute Hi-Fi, the music bar that resides in the space formerly occupied by Parachute, and Anelya, the Ukrainian eatery named after Clark’s beloved grandmother. Both Clark and Kim are celebrated for their masterful culinary expertise and for championing and elevating Korean and Ukrainian cuisines.
Chef Clark shares one of his favorite holiday recipes:
“Ukrainian kolach is more than just bread; it’s a symbol of tradition, family and celebration. Every Christmas, my grandmother would set aside hours in her small, warm kitchen to knead, braid and bake this golden masterpiece. The aroma of yeast and sugar would fill her home, signaling that the holiday was truly here.
“As a child, I didn’t fully understand the significance of this bread, but I could feel it. The kolach sat at the center of the table like a crown, its braided layers glistening with egg wash and sprinkled with a dusting of sugar — a quiet yet profound declaration of heritage.
“Unlike a decadent chocolate cake or spiced pumpkin pie, kolach wasn’t bursting with flavor. But it didn’t need to be. Each bite tasted like celebration — soft, slightly sweet and enriched with the love of generations.
“I remember sitting at the table, my fingers eagerly picking at the pockets of caramelized sugar that formed in its crevices. To me, those sugary bits were treasures, as delightful as opening presents under the tree.
“Now, as an adult, I realize kolach was my grandmother’s way of connecting us to our roots. It was history you could hold, tradition you could taste and love that bound us together.”