Chef’s table events pull members out of routine and into something far more personal. They create access and intimacy that standard dining can’t touch.
“Chef’s table events allow us to create raving fans, and anyone in hospitality knows that raving fans are your strongest asset,” says Jessica Spaulding, Food and Beverage Director of Cullasaja Club in Highlands, N.C.
The chef may be front and center, but the experience rises or falls on the floor. Front-of-house teams guide the pace, shape the energy, and carry the story from the kitchen to the table. Without that presence, the evening loses its edge.
Getting the Atmosphere Right
Spaulding says Cullasaja Club typically hosts three to four chef’s table events per year, depending on the season, and limits attendance to 12 to 14 guests.
After several seasons of holding the dinners inside the kitchen, the team realized the setting wasn’t delivering the experience they had in mind.
“We shifted the event to a small dining space just outside the kitchen,” Spaulding says. “Before the event begins, [Executive] Chef Scott Craig gives a 15-minute kitchen tour. Then we set up a camera in the kitchen that feeds to a TV in the dining room, so members still get that behind-the-scenes view without losing the intimacy.”
Hosting the event in the kitchen, Spaulding adds, made conversation difficult. The fans were loud, and the energy worked against connection.
Roberto Mendoza, Clubhouse Manager of Cullasaja Club, agrees. Holding the event in the kitchen made service feel awkward.
“The space is extremely tight, and we were serving guests right where the chef was cooking,” Mendoza says. “It didn’t create the atmosphere we were aiming for.”
Setting the Scene
Spaulding says front-of-house preparation begins the moment the chef’s menu is finalized.
From there, Mendoza turns his focus to wine pairings, building selections for each course and placing orders with cohesion in mind.
“I look at the chef’s menu and identify the stars of each dish and what we’re trying to highlight,” he says. “Then I think through what fits from a wine perspective and how it supports the overall theme.”
Spaulding and her team handle the physical setup with the same level of intention. Cutlery, glassware, linens, and décor are chosen as a set, designed to support an intimate, high-touch environment.
Seasonality drives those choices. In summer, Spaulding might line the table with small vases holding a single flower. In fall, she leans into deeper tones, such as emerald green. At times, she pulls fresh fruit or vegetables from the kitchen to create basket-style centerpieces that bring a bit of the back-of-house feel into the dining room.
Linens and napkins mirror the menu’s color palette, adding another layer of continuity. Spaulding also notes that Craig enjoys candlelit tables, so she always finds a way to incorporate them.
“Once everything is in and it’s time to set up, we spend extra time on the table settings,” Spaulding says. “Making sure everything is straight matters to me.”
That attention to spacing and placement supports the flow of service. Timing, Spaulding adds, depends on clear communication between herself, Craig, and the service team. Mendoza prefers to start planning with a small group to lock in the details, then bring more staff into the process once the framework is set.
“We usually know how long Chef wants for each course and how that affects service,” Mendoza says. “From there, we build the service plan around those timing cues.”
Communication Is key
Spaulding says working so closely with Craig at these events has tightened communication between the kitchen and the floor to the point where it feels effortless.
“When we hosted the events in the kitchen, we didn’t have the ability to communicate the way we needed to,” she says. “It was harder to let Chef know where guests were in a course or to check in on his timing. Now we’re able to communicate with fewer words and read the rhythm of his prep.”
With the move to the dining room, that communication has become more direct. Spaulding and her team can check in verbally and give clear timing cues throughout the evening.
“We can say, ‘Chef, we’re five minutes out from plates hitting the table,’ or ‘We’re about seven minutes away from clearing,’” Spaulding says. “Keeping him aware of timing is one of the biggest support roles we play.”
Another priority is executing the food presentation exactly as Craig envisions it.
“All chefs are artists, and a chef’s table is their chance to showcase what they care about,” Spaulding says. “Our job is to listen closely. Is the protein placed at 12 o’clock or 3 o’clock? Where does that soft swoop land?”
While Spaulding says her entire team is strong, she’s selective about who works these events, looking for people who bring extra focus and care—those who see it as more than just a shift.
Chef’s table dinners are also when service standards matter most. Serving from the left, clearing from the right, and sweating the details may seem small, she says, but those are the moments that make the evening feel smooth and truly special.
