Chef Joe Paulden grew up in the farmlands of Bakersfield, California, you could often find Joe hunting dove and quail in the local orchards or fishing on the Kern River. His passion for being in the kitchen was something he inherited from his Mom. “My Mom gave me a passion for cooking and entertaining and my Dad gave me my work ethic and focus,” says Paulden. The perfect recipe for a future culinary star.

Chef Joe’s first restaurant job was as a dishwasher at a pizza joint in his hometown. At 23 years old he enrolled in the Le Cordon Blue program in Pasadena, California. After culinary school, Joe moved to San Diego and landed a position as a line cook at the Westgate Hotel. Inspiration for a professional career came under the tutelage of the Sous Chef at the charming French bistro Café Chloe in the East Village. Joe took his expertise to the prestigious Market Restaurant + Bar, one of the best fine dining restaurants in Del Mar. After 3 years of fine dining service, Joe then took his first management position as a Sous Chef at Blind Lady Ale House. While he learned a lot in the quick service environment, he missed the fine-dining world. He returned to the Market Team as the Sous Chef at the sister restaurant, Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant. After 2 years, Joe had the opportunity to join the Cohn Restaurant Group as Sous Chef at Coasterra on Harbor Island. In a short amount of time, Joe’s skills earned him the role as the Executive Chef of one of San Diego’s top Mexican restaurants and oversees a culinary team of 45 promising chefs.

While Chef Joe has already achieved so much in his short culinary career, he is constantly perfecting his craft. “Chefs have to be so many different things to so many different people over time. Each situation requires something different,” states Paulden. “Being the person that keeps things on course and pulled together is a tall order. It’s something that I try to be better at every day.”