The owner and head chef of June Restaurant, Josh Adams has dedicated his life to bringing high-quality, organic, modern American cuisine to central Illinois. Along with maintaining quality service, staff and menu options, his responsibilities include recruiting and training new talent, conceiving special events, prospecting wine and produce, and establishing relationships within the community. With each dish, he melds the best of the season with progressive techniques to highlight ingredients at their peak, paying homage to regional farmers and locally-grown food. He not only serves a niche market for patrons who enjoy fine food, but fosters connections in the community beyond dining.
In the four years since June’s opening, Adams has been recognized for his culinary talent by a multitude of publications and organizations. June has been named the “Hottest New Restaurant in Peoria” by NBC Chicago, among Travel + Leisure’s “50 Best New Restaurants,” one of the “Top Ten Best New Romantic Getaways” by Bon Appétit, among Midwest Living’s “New Spots to Eat, Play and Stay,” one of Made Man’s “10 Best Restaurants in the Midwest,” and among Opinionated About Dining’s “Top 100 U.S. Restaurants.” Adams was one of Mother Nature Network’s “40 Chefs Under 40,” Food & Wine magazine’s “People’s Choice for Best New Chef in Great Lakes Region,” and among Reuters’ “World Chefs.” He has been featured in the Chicago Sun-Times and The Wall Street Journal and is a James Beard Award winner and semi-finalist.
When not whipping up unique fare at June, Adams devotes his time to raising funds and awareness for a range of local charities and nonprofits, including Dream Center Peoria, Peoria Lyme Support, Wildlife Prairie Park, The Sun Foundation, Central Illinois Friends of People with AIDS, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Peoria, and the Central Illinois Green Expo, as well as the local Farm Alliance and area farmers’ markets.
Adams is a graduate of Dunlap High School, Illinois Central College’s Culinary Arts Program and the French Culinary Institute in New York. He resides in Germantown Hills with his wife and two children. iBi
