Dieter Koschina could probably get away with being a little less humble. The 63-year-old chef helms the kitchen at Vila Joya—the restaurant of a gracious boutique hotel in Portugal that shares its name—which earned one Michelin star in 1995 and a second in 1999. He has held on to both ever since. That means this year, he’s celebrating an accomplishment few of his contemporaries can claim: three decades of achieving one of the culinary world’s highest honors.
And yet, the accolades aren’t what motivates him. “I don’t cook for Michelin; I cook for the clients,” he says. “They are my stars.”
What makes his winning streak even more astounding is that he has done it by devising a new menu every single day. It’s a level of commitment that can seem at odds with this laid-back beach resort near the southwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
Three years after they purchased the property, Claudia, a German-born interior designer, decided to open the home to guests. It now has 13 individually designed rooms and suites, and bookings are coveted as much for Koschina’s cuisine as they are for stellar views of the Atlantic and direct access to the beach.
The setting informs Koschina’s beautifully presented and profoundly savory dishes, which guests and visitors can enjoy via varied dining options: the award-winning restaurant’s 13- and five-course tasting menus; flavorful snacks at the poolside bar; and the casual oceanfront venue Vila Joya Sea, which serves Japanese cuisine alongside another globally inspired menu that is reimagined annually. Each of these locations changes what’s on offer regularly to give patrons the sense that they’re visiting friends, not checking into a hotel. “You wouldn’t cook the same thing twice for your friends at home, right?” Joy asks.
Koschina often serves a dish once and retires it for four or five years before bringing it back—with a twist. Occasionally, a repeat guest can coax him into an earlier revival. “Someone was here yesterday and said he wanted a cataplana,” a Portuguese fish stew named after the distinctive copper pot it’s cooked in. “He wanted my style, with clams and meat, and I made it for him.” But there are ingredients he revisits more frequently: Saturday nights, for instance, sometimes feature foie gras. “I like it with different fruits, salt, caramel mousse, something sweet,” he adds. “You take the foie gras and a marinade, a reduction of grape juice with Cognac or white port, and it tastes so good.”
The wine selections are just as important as the dishes—Koschina will sample up to 20 wines from Vila Joya’s 1,600-strong list to find the right pairing. “When you have a plate and a good wine, the combination makes the taste go up by 20 percent,” he explains.
Ultimately, the secret to his achievements may come down to how many hours he’s willing to spend pursuing culinary mastery. Joy’s staff has told her more than once that Koschina can be found in the kitchen at 2 a.m., perfecting one of his light, flavorful sauces. “He’s a true artist,” Joy says. “I don’t know how he does it.”
