Downtown Wilmette is about to re-Fuel

Three months after Wilmette restaurant Fuel closed, a new but related concept, Fuel Fusion, is getting ready to open in its place.

Glencoe couple Ayelet and Stephen Kohn hope Fuel Fusion will be ready for guests by February 2025.

Fuel, a farm-to-table restaurant that came to Wilmette in 2009, went out of business in September, vacating the space “abruptly,” said property owner Mike Chookaszian.

According to a brochure published online, Fuel was listed for sale early in 2024.

The Kohns were patrons of Fuel and enjoyed the cuisine, as well as the restaurant’s name, which was an acronym for Food You Eat Locally. When it was put up for sale, they got involved, eventually coming to terms for the space at 1222 Washington Court earlier this year.

Ayelet and Stephen Kohn, the latter of whom is a Wilmette native, recently moved to Glencoe. Ayelet Kohn said the couple loves being in the community, and Fuel Fusion gives them a way to be more involved.

“It seems meant to be,” she said.

Like Fuel, Fuel Fusion will serve breakfast and brunch six days a week (Tuesday-Sunday) and dinner three (Thursday-Saturday), according to Ayelet Kohn. She called the cuisine modern American that fuses flavors, including Mexican flavors. Expect steak, seafood and pasta dishes, seasonal selections, elevated salads and more with the same foundation of locally sourced ingredients that Fuel preached.

Ayelet Kohn said the new restaurant will seek a “refined” atmosphere, especially on Thursday through Saturday evenings when she hopes Fuel Fusion feels like a social club during a regular happy hour.

“It can be hard to find the right atmosphere where you can be an adult,” she said. ” … a place where you can go and socialize with other adults, unwind and have a great night out.”

Fuel Fusion is working through Wilmette’s public-review process, coordinating with village of Wilmette staff to ensure the building and materials are up to snuff. The Kohns are also pursuing a liquor license for the restaurant.

Barring any delays or other unforeseen circumstance, Ayelet Kohn said they hope to open Fuel Fusion by Feb. 1.

“We want it to be not just a great place to eat but an experience,” she said.

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