Club + Resort Chef has officially opened registration for PlateCraft 2025, a hands-on culinary workshop created specifically for club and resort chefs. The event will take place November 3-5, 2025, in Highlands, N.C., utilizing the kitchens of both Cullasaja Club and Highlands Country Club to give attendees a unique, multi-site, real-time culinary experience.
This small-format workshop is intentionally capped at 25 chef attendees to preserve intimacy and interactivity. Rather than focusing on lecture-style learning, PlateCraft is built around collaboration and execution. Each attendee joins a small team, working alongside a chef-instructor to plan, prep, and execute a dish as part of a multi-course collaborative dinner.
“PlateCraft isn’t theoretical,” says Scott Craig, WCMC, CCCD, Executive Chef of Cullasaja Club and event host. “It’s a working session where chefs bring ideas to life. We’re focused on skill development, peer connection, and creating something meaningful, plate by plate.”
Where last year’s theme, The Grand Buffet, highlighted intricate technique and large-format presentation, this year’s theme—Chef’s Table—offers a more intimate and story-driven approach. Each course will reflect the vision of the team behind it, shaped by thoughtful execution and a clear culinary point of view. The experience will culminate in a formal, collaborative dinner where every plate tells a story.
Featured instructors for PlateCraft 2025 include:
- Adam Deviney, CEC – Director of Culinary and Hospitality, The Country Club of North Carolina
- Lance S. Cook, WCMC, MWMCS, CCCD, CEC, CCA, CFBE, FMP, CFSM, WSET II – Director of Culinary Operations, Forsyth Country Club
- Daniel Montano, CEC – Executive Chef, Mizner Country Club
- Andy Chlebana, CMPC, CCA – Pastry Chef Instructor, Joliet Junior College
- Scott Craig, WCMC, CCCD – Executive Chef, Cullasaja Club
Each instructor will lead a small group workshop in either the Cullasaja Club kitchen or the Highlands Country Club kitchen. Teams will execute mise en place and final plating within these working kitchens, offering attendees the rare opportunity to cook side-by-side with peers in a live, club-level environment.
“We’ve restructured the schedule to run full days on Monday and Tuesday, which allows us to streamline the experience without compromising depth,” says Joanna DeChellis, Editorial Director of Club + Resort Chef and one of PlateCraft’s organizers. “It’s a tighter, more focused format that will deliver meaningful, hands-on learning and collaboration.”
PlateCraft attendance is capped at just 25 chefs and has sold out quickly in previous years. Early registration is strongly encouraged.
“This is for chefs who want to sharpen their edge while contributing to something bigger than themselves,” DeChellis adds. “You’ll walk in as attendees—but you’ll leave as collaborators.”
To learn more or register, visit PlateCraft.
Registration for PlateCraft costs $3400 and includes:
- Access to all workshops, roundtables, and behind-the-scenes tours
- All ingredients and mise en place support for the Chef’s Table dinner
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on November 3 and 4
- Continuing Education Hours through various associations.
Attendees are responsible for their own travel and lodging. Due to limited rideshare services in the Highlands area, a rental car is strongly recommended.
Blocks of rooms are available at the following hotels:
Booking Link
Reservations must be made by 8/15/25.
