Club + Resort Chef has officially opened registration for PlateCraft 2026, a hands-on culinary workshop created specifically for club and resort chefs. The 2026 PlateCraft will be hosted at Cullasaja Club in Highlands, N.C., from November 2–3, 2026.
This year’s theme—Live Fire—explores the techniques, ingredients, and artistry of cooking with wood, charcoal, and open flame. Through hands-on workshops and collaborative cooking experiences, attendees will refine their craft, exchange ideas with fellow chefs, and discover new ways to create bold, memorable dining experiences centered around the elemental power of fire.
To enhance the overall experience for attendees, Cullasaja’s neighboring club, Highlands Country Club, will provide additional kitchen and prep space and resources.
PlateCraft’s meticulously crafted agenda combines technical culinary education with highly interactive workshops, ensuring attendees can apply the skills they learn in an immersive and practical environment under the guidance of our well-respected and highly accomplished chef instructors.
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 2026 Instructors:
- Scott Craig, CECC, CCA, WCMC, HoF, Executive Chef, Cullasaja Club
- Michael Matarazzo, CEC, HoF, Executive Chef, Farmington Country Club
- Andrew Haapala, Executive Chef, The Country Club of Virginia
- Geo Lanez, CMC, MBA, Executive Chef, The Patterson Club
- Sam Brod, CEC, Senior Executive Chef, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club
Learn more about this year’s instructors here.
PlateCraft 2026 Agenda at a Glance:
Monday, November 2
- Breakfast + lunch, courtesy of Cullasaja Club’s culinary team
- Live fire education sessions—Learn more about this year’s instructors here.
- Cullasaja Club kitchen + clubhouse tour
- Highlands Country Club tour + cocktail hour
- Dinner: A Taste of Highlands Country Club, courtesy of Executive Chef Angel Herrera and team
Tuesday, November 3
- Breakfast + lunch included, courtesy of Cullasaja Club
- Hands-on live fire mastery workshops—Learn more about this year’s instructors here.
- Live fire culinary experience*
*This year’s event will conclude with an immersive dining experience celebrating the techniques, collaboration, and creativity developed throughout the Live Fire Mastery Workshops. The Cullasaja Club culinary team will present the dishes created during the workshops as a thoughtfully curated, multi-course dinner, giving attendees the opportunity to experience the meal from the guest’s perspective.
