Former President Barack Obama stopped by Peach’s Restaurant in Bronzeville and highlighted Chef Cliff Rome, who will lead the food program at the Obama Presidential Center opening in 2026 (Photo Courtesy of the Obama Foundation).
Former President Barack Obama stopped by Peach’s Restaurant in Bronzeville during a recent two-day trip to Chicago, a visit that came as part of broader preparations for the Obama Presidential Center, which is set to open in 2026 in Jackson Park.
While in the city, Obama met with Peach’s owner, Chef Cliff Rome, spoke with diners and picked up a meal of shrimp and grits, salmon croquette, and peach cobbler. He also mingled a bit with customers and staff.
Photo Courtesy of the Obama Foundation
The stop underscored a local connection to the Center’s future food programming.
Rome, who grew up in Englewood, leads Rome’s Joy Companies, which includes the restaurant, a catering service, and the historic Parkway Ballroom. He’s partnering with Bon Appétit Management Company in a joint venture called BAMJoy, which will manage the Center’s restaurant, café and catering services.
The Obama Presidential Center will include several public-facing amenities in addition to its museum, among them a library branch, auditorium, fruit and vegetable garden, and space for community programming. Dining areas, operated by BAMJoy, will also be accessible to the public.
Rome brings more than three decades of experience in the culinary world and is known for mentoring young chefs across Chicago and beyond.
The Center remains on track to open in 2026.
