Page 20 - The Peorian, Vol 3 Issue 2

20 thePeorian.com
T he beat that Dustin Allen
marches to is his own, but
he is certainly not above
asking others to join his parade.
The more who do, the more suc-
cessful his restaurant at Junction
City will be.
Just be prepared - he likes to
change the tune frequently. He
just makes sure it tastes as good
as he can make it for customers
of that restaurant, Edge By Chef
Dustin Allen.
“People sometimes comment
on our limited menu, but having
a limited menu is not a problem
for us. By having six or seven
entrees we are able to better
concentrate on making those the
best and it enables us to change
the menu often, every night if we
want,” Allen said.
Indeed, that’s why the Edge
menu is no frills, a single sheet
of paper that can be changed
daily, as can the menu listed on
the restaurant’s website, www.
edgeinpeoria.com.
“What is most important is
that our customers, especially
the all-important repeat custom-
ers, know they are going to get a
high quality meal. We knew from
the start that how we do things
wouldn’t be for everybody. But
we also knew we’d be the first to
step out and say we’re going to
be an everyday restaurant, the
kind of restaurant we are.
“I have no regrets in my deci-
sion to do it this way.”
Another way Allen is putting
his own style on the local culi-
nary scene is by being one of the
area’s few farm-to-table restau-
rants, which some view as risky.
He was undeterred.
“This was the way I wanted to
do it. It’s putting quality first and
giving back to the local commu-
nity. It also gives us more control
over what we buy from the farm-
ers we’re contracted with, farm-
ers who are committed to organic
practices. This way people get to
taste food the way it was meant
to taste,” he said.
Allen became known in Peoria
when he was executive chef at
Magnolia’s on Prospect, a fine
dining establishment that also
was at Junction City. His mother,
Kelly Mohr, was principal owner
of Magnolias and brought Allen
in because he had experience
cooking at restaurants in the
south.
But about a year ago, they
decided on a new direction, in-
cluding a smaller restaurant with
a unique style that Dustin and
his wife Ashley would own. The
best way to do that was to close
Magnolia’s and start over.
After months of planning and
building - including custom
building the bar and impressive
wine rack themselves - the Allens
and the crew they brought with
them from Magnolia’s opened
last Sept. 27. Already the restau-
rant is drawing rave reviews and
while only open for three months
during 2013 it was named the best
newcomer for the year by the Heart
of Illinois HospitalityAssociation.
COOKING ON THE EDGE
By Paul Gordon
Farm-To-Table: Edge
Edge by Chef Dustin Allen carries several types and brands of wine, as shown by the hand-built back bar at the
restaurant at Junction City.