Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Smith.
Joshua, the North Carolina native and charcuterie aficionado behind Moody’s Delicatessen and Provisions began his culinary career learning artisanal charcuterie at Dean and Deluca’s flagship store in Charlotte, NC. Under the tutelage of French Master Chef Charles Semail, he first began to produce sausages and pates.
Smith moved to the West Coast and worked his way up the coastline at a range of establishments including boutique eateries, large-scale food and beverage operations, and fine dining restaurants before landing at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in Seattle. He learned team organizational skills and kitchen management – valuable knowledge that would pay dividends in his future.
An opportunity arose in Charlotte, North Carolina and Smith found himself returning home to run a popular kitchen under Chef Dale Ray of the Nobles Restaurant Group. Charcuterie was a main feature on the restaurant’s menu and Smith was excited about the prospect of taking his charcuterie skills to the next level. It was around this time when the West beckoned once again. Smith was recruited to set up the food and beverage program for 5 restaurants in a resort development near Lake Tahoe.
Back on the East Coast, Smith then reconnected with the Four Seasons Hospitality Group, serving as Sous Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, where his charcuterie was constantly featured on the menus of both the Bristol Lounge and the late, great Aujourd’hui.
Next, he helped Michael Schlow successfully launch Tico, his Latin American restaurant in the Back Bay, as Executive Chef. Under his guidance, the restaurant won Esquire’s award for Top 20 Best New Restaurants in America and also received great reviews from other local and national media. Smith founded New England Charcuterie with the intention of making artisanal meats right here in New England, creating old world meats for both retail and wholesale.
In November of 2013, Moody’s Delicatessen & Provisions opened in Waltham as a home for Smith to showcase his meats and share his passion for charcuterie. Since opening, Moody’s and Smith have been featured on the cover of Boston Magazine, in The Boston Globe, in Edible Boston, featured on EaterBoston, Chowhound and Zagats, as well as on both Chronicle and Phantom Gourmet.
When Joshua isn’t cooking at his restaurant, he can be found spending time with his family, barbequing with friends, mountain biking with his dogs or cheering on his favorite team; the New England Patriots.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been an exciting road. Obstacles are learning to grow a business in real time. There’s no manual to teach you. Day to day were challenging. Growing and learning is an experience in itself with 90 people.
Moody’s Delicatessen & Provisions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in everything from delicious gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, sliced deli meats, sausages, pates in addition to our chic eatery in the back of our deli.
I am most proud of the level of hospitality we show our guest. We show the best to our delivery drivers to cleaners. We treat everyone as a VIP guest. The level of service that our team provides makes us so proud. It starts from the top down. They talk about the food but it’s the service that sets us apart.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment of my career has been having the privilege to lead a company of over 90 people on a daily basis. I love the opportunity to have the chance to influence hundreds of people and make an impact on their lives. This is more than a business, this is a family. We give an opportunity to everyone to find their voice and I encourage people to do their best. I enjoy seeing everyone so happy and working with a great team who feels inspired to do their best work.
Contact Info:
- Address: 468 Moody Street, Waltham, MA 02453
- Website: www.moodyswaltham.com
- Phone: 781- 216-8732
- Email: info@moodyswaltham.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/moodyswaltham
- Facebook: facebook.com/moodyswaltham
- Twitter: twitter.com/moodyswaltham
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/moodys-delicatessen-and-provisions-waltham
- Other: www.moodysboston.com
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