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Three weeks after Sink|Swim moved toward a more casual atmosphere and menu, they’ve announced the departure of their opening chef. Matt Danko has left the Logan Square restaurant, apparently on good terms, according to a restaurant rep. Danko steered the kitchen as executive chef since Scofflaw Group opened Sink|Swim in 2015.
Scofflaw, the same folks behind the popular Logan Square cocktail bar of the same name, have replaced Danko with Mitch Cavanah. Cavanah worked as the executive sous chef at GT Fish and Oyster, the Boka Group powerhouse in River North. He’s a Kendall College grad and an Iowa native.
Cavanah’s responsibility is to turn Sink|Swim’s new seafood shack offerings into a success in the neighborhood. Though many restaurant operators are flocking to Logan Square, the neighborhood’s appetite tends to skew toward more affordable options. That’s provided a challenge for restaurateurs who don’t want to run fast-food or fast-casual restaurants in Logan.
The timing for Danko’s departure is peculiar, as a clean break before Sink|Swim’s changes were made may have made sense. Danko declined to comment about his exit. The Clevelander did hint that he’s got something planned but he isn’t ready to share details.
