Chef Perkins
Chef Joshua Laban Perkins
Chef Joshua Laban Perkins’professional resume begins in Memphis, TN. Born here in 1973, Chef Perkins began his culinary path at a young age, dining out almost nightly with his parents and spending a lot of time cooking with grandparents. His grandfather, a butcher, ingrained the wisdom of hard work and respect for products. Perkins got his first job at the age of 15 at Ronnaldo Grisanti and Sons, a local family run establishment. He then worked his way through several of the city’s top restaurants while attending college. Perkins received his first review at the age of 21 as Chef d’ Cuisine at the White Church under Chef Richard Farmer. 3.5 Stars were awarded to the young chef by Memphis Magazine. In 1997 he left to become Sous Chef for Jeffrey Dunham at The Grove Grill. With his talent and ingenuity, the young Perkins soon established a positive reputation among the local restaurant community. A year and a half later, Perkins went to Piedmont, Italy to attend culinary school. Soon after graduating, he was given a position at the Michelin starred La Locanda di Piero in the town of Montecchio Precalcino. Working under the tutelage of Rinnato Rizzardi and alumni of Roger Verge, Perkins expanded his knowledge of Mediterranean food.
In the fall of 2001, Perkins returned to the United States and positioned himself in the upswing of the Atlanta culinary scene. He began his first Executive Chef position at Di Paolo, which Zagat rated the “Best Italian” restaurant in Atlanta. Wanting to expand his culinary experience and seize the opportunity to work with super star Chef Eric Ripert and restaurateur Maguey Le Coze, Joshua was awarded the Executive Chef position at Brasserie le Coze, the “little sister” restaurant to Le Bernardin in New York. Perkins garnered lauded press from the local dining scene, blending the flavors of the Mediterranean while remaining true to his southern style and technique. In 2005, Perkins left Brasserie Le Coze to pursue his dream of restaurant ownership, teaming up with Govantez Lowndes, former partner of Mathew Kenney of Commune, to open The Globe Restaurant. Perkins was raved about in many publications, including “Best New Restaurant” from Creative Loafing, “Restaurant of the Year” from Atlanta Magazine, “Top Ten Restaurants” from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, and “Top 4 Chefs to Watch Out For” in Esquire Magazine. Upon Lowndes’ departure, Perkins and his wife Cari continued to operate The Globe as a family run establishment.
In 2009, the Perkins’ family began thinking about where they would want to raise their two boys and decided to move the family to back to Memphis. Jeffrey Dunham, Chef/Owner of the Grove Grill offered Perkins an amazing opportunity to run the kitchen where it all began. Known for his sharp contrast in flavor and keen eye for details, it is at The Grove Grill where Perkins plies his talent for contemporary cuisine and passionately sourced ingredients.
