Lakeview’s mfk. Restaurant Under New Ownership, Long-time Employees at the Helm

Ownership of Lakeview restaurant mfk. is changing hands: Scott Worsham and Sari Zernich-Worsham have intentionally passed the torch to Neal Neumann, Taryn Shaw and Matt Ginsburg - all previous and existing members of the crew. Originally opened in 2014, mfk. is a 25-seat restaurant, positioned down a few steps off Diversey Pkwy. It features dishes such as cantabrian anchovies, spanish tortilla, crispy croquettes, saffron fideos and of course - basque cake. 

Named after food novelist M.F.K. Fisher, the restaurant has always reserved the right to serve morsels inspired by any person, place, thing, idea or dream. Over the years, mfk. has inspired others’ and built up a base of regulars in the neighborhood and beyond. 

“It was always a hope of ours, from the very beginning, to be able to pass the restaurant on to the right people,” said Worsham. “and this team is better at this than we are, honestly. It feels great to know that we’re leaving it in the right hands. We couldn’t have asked for better stewards of mfk.” 

Key details, timing, and local impact

Shaw & Neumann first met in 2018 working for the Worsham’s at Bar Biscay in West Town, before it was lost to the pandemic. After this closure, Neal shifted to General Manager at mfk. and has worked to perfect service and profitability for the small restaurant. Neal and Taryn celebrated their engagement at mfk. and invited the team to their wedding in 2023. Taryn brings her background in fine-dining, wine and events to the fold now. Their first thought when facing this new venture was to include Executive Chef Matt Ginsburg as a co-owner. Ginsburg started working at mfk. in 2019, and has since risen in ranks to Executive Chef, showcasing specials and menu items such as sticky blueberry ribs, charred melon salad, and crab-filled gougeres (new to the menu this month). 

The trio is making small changes, like introducing stemmed wine glasses to service, offering pintxos by-the-piece and expanding programming. Neal, Taryn and Matt will all be hands-on and working in service alongside the rest of the mfk. crew. 

mfk. is open Monday through Saturday at 5 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. For more information, to view menus and learn more about mfk. visit www.mfkrestaurant.com