Experience Culinary Joy at Home
Elevate your dining experience with personalized menus and quality ingredients.
My Background
- Joshua Poveda, International Professional Chef with 30 years of experience, was born and raised in Madrid, Spain to a multicultural family, his father was from Valencia, Spain (home of the paella) and his mother was from Chicago, USA. Since an early age he was exposed to an array of culinary cultures while visiting my families on both side of the Atlantic. I will always remember my trips to Orrington, Maine to visit my uncle and his family, the lobsters he always prepared when we came, going berry picking with my aunt and my cousins. As a young teenager he attended culinary school in Madrid and graduated in June 1995. His first job was at the very prestigious Club 31 restaurant in Madrid. In 1998 he moves to NYC and attend The Culinary Institue of America in upstate NY and then returns to NYC to work at City Hall Restaurant, VONG and The Perigord. The Happy Chef then packs his bags again and starts a new adventure in Africa for over a decade living first in Benin where he started a small tapas bar with a French colleague. Zimbabwe was next and the birthplace of The Happy Chef back in the early 2000's, The Happy Chef went to become a consistent provider to the expat community, diplomatic figures and local government officials in Zimbabwe, Mali and Sierra Leone. With all this The Happy Chef even had the time to get to work at Quique Dacosta Restaurante with 3 Michelin stars and El Chaflan restaurant with 1 Michelin star. His African affair ends in 2011 in Kigali, Rwanda, where he was the Chef at an up-and-coming restaurant called Heaven. After many years he would return to NYC and become the Chef/Food Service Director at Evergreen Charter School in Hempstead NY. After more than a decade in NY and by following his destiny, heart and family he was able to make one of his lifelong dreams a reality, moving to Maine and doing what I love the most, cooking to make people happy!!!
Culinary Expertise
With years of experience in gourmet cooking, The Happy Chef Experience brings a unique flair to every dish. Specializing in both traditional and modern cuisines, The Happy Chef Experience ensures a delightful dining experience tailored to your tastes. And make sure to experience the true and authentic flavors of his native Spain with a tantalizing array of Tapas and Paellas, all prepared with the freshest ingredients!!!