I craft seasonal, French-trained menus with modern Mediterranean and Eastern European flair across MA, RI, CT, NH, VT, and NY.

Joe Henderek

I unite people through seasonal, French-inspired cuisine

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a chef—even before I knew it. My earliest memory is watching my paternal grandmother cook, and I remember not just the food, but the happiness around the table. Those formative years shaped my philosophy: food unites. You may not recall every detail of a milestone meal, but you remember exactly who you shared it with.

I describe my culinary point of view as innovative yet simple. I explore modern expressions of Mediterranean and Eastern European cuisines through the lens of my classical French training, working with the freshest seasonal ingredients, fresh herbs, artisanal components, and local seafood. I take pride in creating dishes that are uniquely mine. I am a member of the United States Personal Chef Association and hold ServSafe and Allergen Awareness certifications, and I serve Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York.

Let's plan your menu

For me, cooking is a way to bring people together. There is one common factor in everyone's life: we all need to eat.

What I bring to your table

I cook to bring people together

Cooking, for me, is a way to bring people together. There is one common factor in everyone’s life: we all need to eat. I turn that truth into warm, welcoming experiences at your table.

I am classically trained

I trained at the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly The French Culinary Institute). That classical French foundation empowers me to execute modern, seasonal menus with precision while exploring Mediterranean and Eastern European influences.

My kitchen philosophy

My secret in the kitchen is preparation, attention to detail, and a desire to bring people together. I plan meticulously, focus on the details, and cook with intention so you can relax and enjoy.

Chef Joe's Menus

I offer seasonal, customizable menus rooted in classical French technique and shaped by modern Mediterranean and Eastern European flavors. I highlight fresh herbs, artisanal ingredients, and local New England seafood to craft memorable experiences for any occasion.

Explore my menus

Stories and testimonials from my clients

Don't hesitate to book Chef Joe! This was our second time working with him and it was wonderful. We hired him for our mom's surprise 60th dinner for 13 people and everything was amazing from start to finish. He showed up perfectly on time, the food was incredible - the lobster bisque was the favorite of the night - and he left the kitchen spotless. We can't wait to hire him again for our next dinner! 10/10!!

Greer Gagnier

We had a wonderful experience with Joe and are still thinking about his 60 min egg mushroom polenta! Every bite was great and Joe made the whole process so seamless or us. Would absolutely recommend Joe for all your future dining needs.

Justin Fitzpatrick

I wanted to celebrate my wife's birthday with some good food and decided to use takeachef. I picked Chef Joe because of how many amazing reviews he has received. I cannot say enough great things about my experience. The food was even better than I thought it would be. My favorite part of this experience was not just the food but it was chef Joe's personal touch. My wife and I enjoyed watching him cook and he explained all the steps he was doing to get the dinner prepared. He was easy to talk to and we had a lot stories and laughs. I would highly recommend Chef Joe and I personally plan on hiring him again in the near future!

Michael Creamer

Chef Joe created a truly unforgettable experience for our wedding with a very intimate party of 18 people. He was extremely professional and accommodating from the start to finish. He was able to work with a few specific diets within our party and came up with options that everyone absolutely raved about. The 4 course meal was really something special! Seriously, thank you so much Chef Joe! You gave us memories we will never forget.

Brandon Aberg

Chef Joe provided our 20-person dinner with charcuterie and a 4-course meal. Joe was communicative and clear in advance. He and his team arrived early, checked in, then got out of the way until they needed to start cooking. They were polite, helpful and engaging. Most importantly, the food was superb. Multiple people cited the spiced corn chowder with crab as being among the best dishes they've had.

Leslie Brunner

Chef Joe crushed it! Such incredible food and made for a very special afternoon for my mom’s birthday. He was friendly, engaging, and we enjoyed every bite of food. 10/10!

John Floros

Joe was fantastic. I highly recommend him.

David Abrams

The chef is incredible

Kevin Wu

Chef Joe is a truly gifted, very professional master chef. The food was inventive, tasty, and perfectly prepared. Joe gave nice introductions to each of the dishes. He left the kitchen in clean condition. Overall, a great experience. Enthusiastically recommended.

Michael Norkus

Chef Joe was unbelievable!! Everything was absolutely perfect! The food was incredible!! I will undoubtedly use his services again in the future!

Maria Yanakakis