Meet the chef: Henrique Sá Pessoa of Joia
Henrique Sá Pessoa made history when he was awarded two Michelin stars in 2018. We sit down to discuss his debut London restaurant and his global career
You’ve probably seen pictures of Joia all over social media. The Instagrammable pink palace made quite an impression when it opened in 2023, primarily for its rooftop terrace boasting views across the imposing chimneys of Battersea Power Station, thanks to a locale on the 15th floor of Art’otel. However, anyone who’s visited will know that it’s the menus at Joia – which translates to ‘jewel’ from Portuguese – that are, quite literally, the jewel in its sky-high crown.
Helmed by Portugal’s third-ever chef to hold two Michelin stars, Henrique Sá Pessoa, Joia is a love letter to not only his home country, but also his mission to redefine Portuguese haute cuisine. While classics such as pan con tomate, padron peppers and Iberico croquetas remain on the menu, more inventive plates of arroz de marisco – bomba rice, red prawns, mussels, and clams – txuleton (Salamancan black angus sirloin) and torrija of caramelised brioche, almonds, raspberries and Madeira ice cream take centre stage.
Born in Lisbon, Sá Pessoa trained at the Cordon Bleu Institute and honed his craft at the Sheraton Hotel before moving to Sydney and then to London. His home country drew him back, however, and in 2009 he opened his debut restaurant Alma in Lisbon. Nearly 10 years later, it was awarded two Michelin stars – encouraging Sá Pessoa to expand his empire with his own tapas joint, as well as an outpost in Amsterdam, all before his culinary homecoming in London. We sit down with the critically acclaimed chef to discuss why he loves Battersea, the importance of creative freedom and making history.
Image: Rebecca Hope
My dream was to be a basketball player but luckily enough in my senior year in high school I was presented with the opportunity to go to a cooking school and my life took a turn to a new world. Becoming a chef became my new dream.
One of my earliest food memories is actually quite simple: toast and butter with warm chocolate milk.
I have amazing memories from all the places I’ve lived and worked but Sydney and Lisbon are still my favourites.
I wanted to have more creative freedom to cook the dishes I was passionate about. I also wanted to experience having my own brand and business.
My biggest piece of advice is to stick to your own path and don’t focus too much on accolades. The most important thing to achieve first is making your restaurant financially viable and filled with happy customers – the awards will naturally come with all the hard work. Focusing on Michelin stars can be nerve-wracking and put lots of pressure on chefs. Don’t rush; focus your attention when you start out on developing your skills and creating your own identity.
I would say it’s very focused on flavour, mainly seafood, with a strong Portuguese background.
Coming back to such a special place like London where I started my career was always a dream and to do it in a project like Joia was an amazing opportunity that I couldn’t miss!
I can’t choose one, they are all so good! I do love our tortilla and our arroz de marisco.
I have many but I had an amazing lunch at A. Wong recently. World class. I also love Jason Atherton’s and Tom Aikens’ restaurants.
London is an amazing city so it’s hard to pick. I am very curious about Ikoyi, it’s one of my next visits.
I do lots of sports and being active is definitely something I need. Padel, running, cycling, and, of course, travelling.
Visit joiabattersea.co.uk
Read more: Meet the chef: Darian Schmidt of The Ned
