Originally from New Market, Maryland, Chef Joshua Seibert grew up savoring East Coast specialties, from blue point oysters to soft shell crab. Raised in a family where his father and grandmother were always in the kitchen, Seibert gained an appreciation for cooking from a young age, and would often find himself acting as their apprentice and enjoying the energy of the kitchen.

At 14 years old, Seibert started his first job in the hospitality industry, working as a dishwasher at The Turning Point Inn. One day when a cook failed to show up, he was happy to jump in and help, and was immediately promoted to prep cook. After a couple years of cooking at The Inn, Seibert heard that New Market’s best chef, John Lancy, was taking over the local deli, so he decided to stop in and was hired on the spot. He helped run the kitchen at The General Store with Lancy for about a year, making sauces and breads and helping the deli reach its full potential. When The General Store was sold, Lancy brought Seibert with him to the Holly Hills Country Club, one of New Market’s most acclaimed restaurants. It was here that Lancy taught Seibert how to work in a professional kitchen, including how to make charcuterie and how to butcher whole animals. Not only was Lancy a mentor for Seibert skill-wise, but his even-keeled character and willingness to patiently teach younger chefs has become the backbone of Seibert’s management philosophy.

In 2009, Seibert left the East Coast and enrolled in the California Culinary Academy – Le Cordon Bleu, in San Francisco. Upon graduation in 2011, he was hired as a prep cook at one of the busiest brunch restaurants in The City, Mission Beach Café. In less than two years, Seibert worked his way up to Executive Chef, and credits his success in this constantly fast-paced environment to leading by example, staying calm under pressure, training his kitchen staff to be proficient at every station, as well as encouraging his crew to put creativity and passion into their work.

Now at the helm of Nick’s Cove Restaurant, Oyster Bar & Cottages, Seibert is excited to get to know local Marin and Sonoma County farmers and fishermen, and to create a menu that gives guests a sense of place. He feels lucky to be in West Marin, and to have exclusive access to the Croft, Nick’s Cove’s beautiful, on-site farm and garden.

“We are so lucky that the West Marin climate offers us the ability to grow our own produce year-round,” said Seibert. “I can’t wait to create a variety of dishes at Nick’s Cove that captures the essence of what farm-to-table cuisine is all about.”

When he’s not in the kitchen, Seibert enjoys spending time with his daughter and fiancé at home in Petaluma.