Brian Jonathon Adams; Aspiring Ventura Chef

Brian Jonathon Adams, 21, recent culinary school graduate, aspiring chef and lifelong resident of Ventura, died in his sleep Friday night, the victim of a massive coronary.

His father, Donald Adams, said Adams had a birth defect, a heart murmur discovered when he was 13. But the family never knew how serious the defect was.

“The doctors told us there wasn’t any problem,” his father said.

Not knowing how fragile his condition was, Adams led a full life, his father said.

“He enjoyed everything he did,” Donald Adams said. “He never met anybody he didn’t like.”

Adams graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona in June. He returned to Ventura, going back to work at Cronies Sports Grill, where he had started his restaurant career at age 15.

His specialty was desserts, particularly fruity concoctions such as sorbets. His father said Adams had hoped to open his own place, either in Ventura or Santa Barbara.

Adams graduated from Buena High School in 1994, where he received a $500 scholarship for his skills in shop class. He had many friends, his father said, and enjoyed music and racing cars in his free time.

He is survived by his parents, Donald and Pamela, sister Kathy, grandmothers Katherine Lee and Elaine C. Adams, and great-grandmother Edith Bartholomew, all of Ventura.

A viewing is planned for Wednesday at Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura, from noon until 8 p.m. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, also at Ted Mayr Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Heart Assn. of Ventura County.