Kathryn King is as much a fixture of Aria as the little white building is on East Paces Ferry. The unassuming pastry chef began whipping up rich, visually appealing treats 25 years ago and has never stopped. Now, the time has come to hang up her apron as she embarks on the next phase of her life.
“It feels like the end of an era,” she says, pausing to sniffle and wipe her tears.
King started working in restaurants at age 16 and spent time in the kitchens at Canoe and what is now the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta before joining chef Gerry Klaskala at Aria. Earlier this year, Klaskala retired, selling Aria to longtime general manager Andres Loaiza. Chef Joseph Harrison, formerly of Common Thread in Savannah, took over the kitchen and has been gradually putting his spin on the menu.
Now, King, Harrison, and Loaiza are searching for a pastry chef to fill King’s shoes. Once someone is selected, King will gradually transition out of her role and begin consulting on pastry programs for other chefs and restauranteurs.
“It’s been great, but I’m looking forward to the next chapter,” she says.
Photo by George Sanchez
Why are you leaving Aria?
I’ve had a good, long career. There comes a time to make some changes. I’m not referring to it as retiring because I’m not going to be sitting around. I just won’t be going to the same job every day.
I enjoy speaking to owners and chefs about improving their current dessert programs or starting a new program or a new restaurant. I like to get into the chef’s head and see what it is that they’re looking for that’s going to fit in their concept. I have done a number of different styles.
I can do anything from southern classics to super fancy dining to European-style baked goods.
How long have you been thinking about this?
The seed of it started about two years ago. I want to have more of a more of a life to do other things that I enjoy. I don’t have an exact departure day. We’re looking for a replacement for me. Whenever that happens, it’ll be a gradual transition, like when Gerry left. They’ll keep some of the favorites—the core items—and then tweak the accompaniments, gradually introducing other items.
We’re all about pleasing everybody—especially people who’ve been coming for years and years. We wouldn’t want to disappoint them. Andres is is adamant about that. He’s very much protective of what we’ve all built there together.
Photo by Tuan Huynh
How have your desserts evolved throughout the years?
When I first started out, I could do anything with chocolate or nuts, and I wasn’t very good at fruit. The most significant evolution is that I’ve learned how to work with seasonal fruit. It’s so much fun to be able to get top-quality products like citrus from Florida and berries from Georgia.
My style has remained the same. What I do is a lot about presentation and simplicity. I’m a fan of just three items on the plate and letting the ingredients speak for themselves.
What are you most proud of?
Getting the kind of recognition that I’ve gotten over the years, whether it’s from colleagues, in the press, or from regulars. It’s great to be acknowledged because everybody knows it’s hard work to be a chef, and it’s nice to feel appreciated.
Photo by Tuan Huynh
What are your favorite desserts that you’ve made over the years?
There’s the initial chocolate cake I made for Gerry when we first opened the restaurant. It’s so rich and delicious. I loved doing the pound cake that’s been on the menu almost since the beginning. I’ve had different sets on it—anything from oranges to lemon curd to roasted plums. I really liked coming up with the vanilla panna cotta. It’s served with tangerine sorbet, and the combination of the cream and the sorbet tastes like a childhood favorite from the ice cream man. I like to call them “adult takes on childhood favorites,” because there’s a chocolate cream pie with a little bit of alcohol in it and fresh chocolate cream on top of it. I like taking these somewhat glorified ingredients and making simple things with them—things that people relate to in their childhood memories.
What would you have done if you hadn’t become a pastry chef?
I went to the University of Georgia and studied ceramics and English. I thought I wanted to be a ceramic artist, but I just realized that you have to jump full-in to that lifestyle, and I wasn’t ready to move to the country, have a wood-fired kiln, and be dirty all the time.
I’m also a jeweler. I’ve been making jewelry for the last probably 15 years—sterling silver, semi-precious, and some precious stones. I have a production line, which is all things like black-eyed peas and okra and acorns cast in silver. That’s another avenue that I plan on pursuing. I have a website for the production line. The other ones are higher-end, and I’m just trying to figure out what to do with them.
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Carly Cooper
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