Joshua Arias has fond memories of his childhood in Guadalajara, Mexico. Specifically of playing in the street with his friends and trying to sneak food from the kitchen whilst his mother and grandmothers were distracted by cooking. Witnessing the amount of love, passion and effort that went into creating a meal for the family is what inspired Arias to pursue a career in the kitchen.
Arias has both a degree in Gastronomy, a postgraduate qualification in Mexican cuisine. He began his career at Tikuun, one of Guadalajara's top restaurants. Following his time at Tikunn, Arias worked for the leading hotel chain Ritz-Carlton in Florida. He then accepted the Executive Chef role at Ahau Tulum, one of the top rated boutique hotels in the Riviera Maya.
Arias relocated to Wellington in 2019. His New Zealand hospitality career started as Head Chef for Heyday Brewing. Arias took on the role of Head Chef at Shepherd earlier this year.
Arias is making his mark on the Wellington cuisine offering by bringing his traditional, yet contemporary, vibrant and flavourful style into the Shepherd kitchen. Working with his kitchen team, Arias is constantly looking for ways to develop new dishes and evolve their offering to ensure customers have a unique dining experience.
“Right now I’m focused on printing my style into Shepherd Restaurant, always keeping the quality, unique flavours, simple but fun and always pushing myself and my team one step further.”
Actively upskilling a team and introducing new techniques to create unforgettable customer experiences certainly doesn’t come without challenges. Climate change is increasingly affecting the availability and quality of fresh produce and ingredients. The hospitality industry is also currently facing a labour shortage. Arias believes staying innovative and resilient whilst adapting to customer behaviours are the keys to success during tumultuous times.
For anyone just beginning their hospitality journey, Arias recommends having fun and experimenting in the kitchen. Arias believes its important to make sure you are passionate about and proud of the work you’re doing.
“Keep yourself curious, open minded and always keep on learning.”
