José Diogo Costa

Born in Funchal on the island of Madeira, Chef José Diogo Costa's culinary journey has spanned the globe: from Oslo to the Azores, Bangkok to Chile, he has embraced diverse cuisines and cultures along the way.

His mother is from the island, his father from Viseu Dão Lafões on Portugal’s mainland and José Diogo spent his formative years between the two. Initially training as a semi-professional swimmer, at the age of 16 he decided to focus his attention on becoming a chef and attended the School of Hospitality and Tourism in Coimbra before specialising in Kitchen Production and Management in Porto. In addition, he early understood the significance of wine in the service experience and supplemented his studies during his summer break obtaining his Level 1 and 2 WSET accreditation.

Following his international culinary journey that began straight after graduation, José Diogo felt drawn back to his roots in Madeira and in April 2023 accepted the role of Creative Executive Chef at the luxury Reid’s Palace, a Belmond Hotel, Madeira. With an innate understanding of the unique position of this stunning island, its landscape, climate, producers and farmers he brings an innovative and global perspective to the hotel’s culinary reputation for exceptional dining experiences. This in turn has granted José Diogo the perfect platform to honour his roots in Funchal.