Focus on smell, taste and palate. Joseph Warner, deaf chef. Credit: JW
A British chef who has spent more than two decades mastering French cuisine is bringing his skills to southern Spain, where he is building a new life and business with his young family.
Joseph Warner, 40, has an unusual approach to professional cooking. Deaf and wearing hearing aids, he has learned to rely heavily on his eyes, nose and palate to do his job in some of the busiest kitchens in France. His story has something in common with that of deaf Strictly star Tasha Ghouri, who has also spoken about navigating professional life with hearing loss.
Now living in Santa Fe, near Granada, Joseph is putting those skills to work through his own private chef business, The Sensory Chef private chef service, serving clients in holiday villas and private homes across the Costa Tropical, Nerja, the Axarquia and Málaga.
His journey into professional cooking began at 18, after moving from Britain to the south of France as a teenager. Over the following 23 years, he gained French chef qualifications, including the CAP and BP, and worked in several professional kitchens. His experience included the Hôtel du Commerce before he progressed to become head chef at Les Feuillantines.
Learning to see what others might miss
For Joseph, being deaf has meant developing a different relationship with the kitchen. “A kitchen is a very visual place,” he explains. “I see everything. Taste, smell, colour, texture. That is where the name The Sensory Chef comes from.”
Rather than allowing his hearing impairment to define what he could achieve, he developed ways of working that made the most of his other senses and his ability to observe what was happening around him.
Spain also has legislation covering employment rights and accessibility for deaf people, including measures designed to help people with hearing disabilities work on equal terms.
After 23 years in France, Joseph has now started another chapter. He moved to Spain with his wife and young son and registered as self-employed in 2025, launching The Sensory Chef.
His new business brings restaurant-quality cooking directly to people’s homes and holiday accommodation, taking away the work and worry of organising a special meal.
“I do the shopping, cook, serve at the table and leave the kitchen clean,” he says. “The family just enjoys the evening together.”
A taste of France in southern Spain
Joseph’s menus draw on his French culinary background while embracing the flavours and ingredients of his new home.
Guests can choose French bistro favourites, Provençal-inspired dishes, outdoor paella and tapas evenings. He also offers private cooking classes in villas, teaching everything from Spanish tortilla to French pastry. His approach brings another option to the region’s food and dining scene in Axarquia.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free requirements can all be accommodated without an additional charge. With Christmas approaching, he is also offering traditional festive dinners, giving British families spending the holidays in Spain the chance to enjoy a familiar Christmas meal without spending hours preparing it themselves.
For Joseph, however, the business is about more than simply putting food on the table. “Being deaf has never stopped me cooking,” he says. “Starting a business in a new country is not easy, but I love this region, the markets and the produce. Cooking for people in their own home, around their own table, is the best part of my job.”
With menus starting at €70 per guest, The Sensory Chef offers a personal alternative to eating out, particularly for families and larger holiday groups. More details about his private dining experiences in Granada are available online.
For Joseph, it is also an opportunity to bring together everything he has learned over 22 years and make a new home for his family in Andalucia.
More information, menus and bookings are available at thesensorychef.es.
