A Madrid, NY native, Josh Taillon graduated in 2000 from Paul Smith’s College with his degree in culinary arts and subsequently spent 13 years cooking in the Boulder area of Colorado.

In 2013 Josh was drawn back to the North Country to pursue an opportunity to run a restaurant on the property of Iroquois Farm on Rt. 37 in Lisbon. It was there at "The Kitchen" where he started forming relationships with local area farmers that continue to this day.

And while "The Kitchen at Iroquois Farm" as a restaurant was a short-lived endeavor, it was just the beginning of Josh’s commitment to the community that he calls home.

Tucked at the end of the business row in the Madrid town square was a dusty blue house with a tired front porch and not nearly as many windows as it should have had. Old and loved and full of memories and positively *bursting* with potential, Josh took one look at the views out the windows that overlooked the historic Madrid Dam and Grasse River and knew this was it. It could be no place else.

The Blue House.

Demolition started a year later in November of 2019.

The Blue House opened in January of 2021 to a following of over 3,000 people, many of whom had yet to taste Josh's cooking. After 6 months of exclusively takeout, growing their confidence and customer base, they finally opened their doors for dine-in in July of 2021.

So that's the story. Well, the broad strokes, anyway. A Madrid kid who opened a restaurant in his hometown.

Welcome to our space; we can’t wait to feed you!