Appearing at: Grand Tasting

Aaron Kulzer

Highlands Supper Club

Aaron Kulzer is the Executive Chef of Highlands Supper Club, a southern restaurant nestled in the heart of Trailborn Highlands in North Carolina. With roots in Southern Mississippi and a career shaped by kitchens across the U.S., Kulzer brings a soulful, ingredient-driven approach to Appalachian cuisine. His cooking is equal parts nostalgic and inventive—think pecan-encrusted rainbow trout with sorghum crunch, or deviled eggs reimagined with blue crab and smoked tomato.

Kulzer’s culinary style is deeply regional, drawing from Lowcountry, Cajun, and Appalachian traditions while spotlighting local farms and seasonal produce. Whether it’s braised Lion’s Mane mushrooms from nearby growers or heirloom grits from Anson Mills, his dishes tell stories of place and purpose.

Beyond the plate, Kulzer is a mentor and educator, known for sharing his craft with aspiring chefs in the community. His work has been featured at the Highlands Food & Wine Festival and praised for its balance of rustic charm and refined execution.

In every dish, Kulzer invites diners to experience the South—not just as a flavor, but as a feeling.

Shot At Redemption:
Support All Rebuilding

Help us help others! HFW is proud to donate $125 of each ticket sold from today through the festival will go to  BeLoved Asheville,   Equal Plates Project,  Highlands Emergency Council,   Highlands Food Pantry, and Southern Smoke Foundation. Have to miss the Sunday show? Donate directly today.
 
Thank you for supporting those in Appalachia that need it most!