Chef
Speaker
José Diogo Costa
Chef at William* (Funchal, Madeira, Portugal)
His global vision brings a new perspective to the kitchens of his native Madeira.
After initially training as a semi-professional swimmer, at the age of 16 he decided to focus on becoming a chef and attended the School of Hotel Management and Tourism in Coimbra. He also realised early on the importance of wine in the service experience, and complemented his studies by qualifying as an oenologist.
Chef José Diogo Costa's culinary journey has spanned the globe, from Oslo to the Azores, from Bangkok to Chile, embracing different cuisines and cultures. He has worked in restaurants as diverse as Il Gallo d'Oro** in Madeira and the vegan German restaurant FREA. At the same time, his passion for wine has taken him to wineries in Austria and Chile to further his knowledge.
Back in Azores, he joined the Azores Wine Company project on the island of Pico. There he gained experience with natural wines and created the AWC restaurant, combining an internationally influenced culinary style with local ingredients and wines.
Despite the restaurant's success, José Diogo was drawn back to his Madeira roots and in April 2023 accepted the position of Creative Executive Chef at the luxurious Reid's Palace, a Belmond hotel in Madeira.
