Daily Inspiration: Meet Joshua Read

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Read.

Hi Joshua , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
this is the short version

I was born and raised in Cornwall, England, and started washing dishes at fourteen. From there I worked my way through the kitchen and into front-of-house. At eighteen I left home for London, where I became general manager of an award-winning cocktail bar in southwest London, and went on to open several other concepts from there.
It was through that world that I met my American wife, who was studying at Richmond University. We moved back to Cornwall and had our daughter, Georgia, and I kept working in hospitality. When Georgia was two, we relocated to the States, where I became an operating partner at Seven Acre Barn & Grill.
Since moving to the States, we spent a lot of time at my wife’s family business, Scottsdale Farms, where I always imagined a stunning, elevated but family-friendly cafe. Two and a half years ago, that vision became a reality.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This path has been hard fought. I’ve had bad partners, bad bosses, family challenges, financial challenges — the road has never been smooth. But in the spirit of hospitality, I always left that at the door and did the best job I could, for my family and for my work. That’s one of the hidden truths about this industry.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I don’t choose to specialize in any one thing specifically — what I’m capable of is building high-performing teams with a great culture, and a genuinely hospitable atmosphere. I pride myself on communicating with my guests and my team in a gracious and sincere way.
Right now, I’m most proud of the team running The Cafe at Scottsdale Farms. I’m proud of what they accomplish every day, and of where they’ve taken the cafe within the local community.
What sets us apart is our location — goats to feed, plants to grow, cows to raise, and all the wonderful seasonal moments in between. As we grow and reinvest, we’ll only become more unique and more of a destination.

What are your plans for the future?
For the cafe, this coming January we intend to redesign the kitchen, which will allow us to open for dinner service by reservation only. In this format, we hope to offer a high-end experience that competes with some of the best restaurants in the city. We have the team in place to realize this, and I can’t wait for next year.
Aside from the cafe, there’s a chance that by the time this is published, I’ll have signed a lease on a potential new local concept.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thecafeatscottsdalefarms.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cafe_at_scottsdale/?hl=en