The Festival’s Gifted Chefs

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: October 2023

The Highlands Food and Wine Festival is coming to town. For four days, from November 9-12 acclaimed chefs from around the region and nation will click knives and share stoves with the gifted chefs of Highlands and Cashiers.

Jacky Cabler

Festival-goers will want to take a mini tour of the gastronomy of the Plateau and explore the cornucopia of local fare on display.  Their scrumptious offerings alone are worth the price of admission at festival events, including the “Grand Tasting,” “Main Event,” “A Generous Pour,” “Truckin,’” and “A Shot at Redemption.”  

Matt Weinstein

Below a roundup of who to look for and a taste of what to expect:

Carl Avery, pitmaster of Highlands Smokehouse, mouthwatering barbecue. 

Jacky Cabler, Crafty Goat, the high priestess of tapas-style treats.

Ashley Canon, Oak Steakhouse, sensational sweet treats.

Scott Franqueza, High Hampton, refined classic American cuisine with local ingredients.  

John Johnson

John Johnson, Four65 Woodfire Bistro, maestro of pizza. 

Rachel Lewicki, Secret Garden, a prowess with charcuterie that’s the stuff of local legend. 

Danny Magliocca, Ristorante Paoletti, the wizard of world-class Northern Italian cuisine.

Danny Magliocca

Jason Tardo, Half Mile Farm, long celebrated for his reverence for local and seasonal cooking. 

Matt Weinstein, Oak Steakhouse, well-known as a “gastronomic game changer.” 

Ugly Dog Public House, snazzy bar food bites.

Rachel Lewicki

For those who prefer the more exotic; unique flavors will take center stage at the Main Event when chefs Dung “Junior” Vo of Noko Nashville and Terry Sargent of Grass VBQ Joint in Stone Mountain, Georgia, showcase their dishes.

Born in Vietnam, Chef Dung “Junior” Vo grew up in the coastal city of Nha Trang. At Nashville’s Noko Restaurant, he is known for skillfully balancing new and old wood-fire grilling techniques while putting his unique spin on familiar proteins and indigenous vegetables.  Influenced by the simplicity of the foodways of the region where he grew up, he turns out elevated comfort food that reflects his ancestry. The result ends up in dishes that transcend expectations, like Wagyu Brisket with a house made Asian spice rub and Smoked Gochujang Hot Wings.  

“Redefining barbecue in the South” is the mantra of chef Terry Sargent of Grass VBQ Joint.  The 2021 Southern Living “Cook of the Year” first became intrigued with the idea of developing a vegan barbecue menu in 2019 for health reasons. His scratch-made ‘cue, smoked for hours then served with creative toppings (Roasted Vidalia Onion VBQ Sauce) and sides (Red Curry Coconut Greens and Stout Baked Beans) has been delighting followers ever since.