Chef Josh Adamo to Open Two Restaurants in Lower Garden District

Josh Adamo is preparing to open two new food and beverage locations in the Lower Garden District. The 31-year-old chef, who recently left his position at Emeril’s downtown, has signed a lease for the former Gris Gris restaurant at 1800 Magazine Street. He plans to transform the space into a fine dining establishment called Twelve and an adjacent cocktail bar named Bar DND.

Adamo expects Bar DND to open in February 2027, followed by Twelve in the spring. The restaurant will feature a limited seating capacity on the first floor. The bar will occupy the upstairs area, offering elevated drinks and an à la carte menu. Both venues are part of a single project that Adamo has been documenting on social media for the past year.

Twelve will operate on a specific format: 12 seats and 12 courses. Adamo said the menu will rotate to tell a story through the dishes. The concept blends high-end European techniques with local Louisiana ingredients. He intends to source products from both regional farms and global suppliers to demonstrate why the state is a culinary destination in North America.

Adamo is a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in London, Monaco, and Toronto before moving to New Orleans. His resume includes an internship at The Fat Duck in London and stints with Clare Smyth and Alain Ducasse. He met Emeril Lagasse in Monaco, where Lagasse recruited him to help launch the tasting menu version of Emeril’s. Adamo departed that role in early 2025 to consult for other restaurants before starting his own venture.

Bar DND stands for "Do Not Disturb." Adamo designed the space as an escapist environment where patrons can disconnect from their devices. The menu features dishes inspired by food Adamo ate in London. He described the food as simple, approachable, and fun, comparing it to a chef's casual meal off the clock.

Adamo has 90,000 followers on Instagram, where he shares videos of home cooking and updates on the restaurant renovation. In early October, two weeks after signing the lease, he discovered a break-in at the location. The back door was open and the deadbolt lock was broken. Adamo posted surveillance footage of the incident online. He said no expensive kitchen equipment was present yet, so nothing was stolen, but the event required him to focus on security improvements.

The previous tenant, Gris Gris, closed in July after more than a decade in business. Chef Eric Cook stated that the restaurant struggled to regain pre-pandemic traffic levels. The closure was featured in a recent CBS Evening News segment regarding rising costs in the hospitality industry. Adamo said his local network of friends has supported him through the renovation process, though he acknowledged the pressure of managing a major project with a public audience.