The new executive chef shares what’s shaping his vision for the Buckhead restaurant!
After serving Atlantans for 25 years under the leadership of chef-owner Gerry Klaskala, acclaimed Buckhead restaurant Aria welcomed a new executive chef, James Beard Award semifinalist Joseph Harrison formerly of Savannah’s Common Thread, in June. Harrison joins the team under new owner and former GM Andrés Loaiza, with plans to continue the restaurant’s legacy.
How do you plan to balance honoring Aria’s past while introducing your own culinary perspective?
One thing I’ve developed in my style over the years is a way to get things on the plate that are recognizable but a little bit interesting. You can look at something and think that these are maybe typical flavor profiles and ingredients that you’ve seen go together before, but maybe there’s a layer of seasoning or texture that changes the whole dish. I try to take that approach here at Aria.
How does Aria’s history shape your approach?
We have guests who have been coming to the restaurant since its opening and service team members who came with the building, so my first job is to respect that. My goal is to make sure those people keep coming back. But also, we can’t let Aria be a museum— and those are Chef Gerry’s words. He wanted it to keep moving forward and continue being part of Atlanta’s dining scene as it evolves.
What will you be bringing from Common Thread?
I really came into my own during my time in Savannah. I was given the opportunity to cook so many different things and work with an array of people. People would always ask me, “What do you guys cook at Common Thread?” Over time, we ended up cooking whatever we wanted, and as long as we respected the food and made it delicious, people came back for it. That informs my approach to cooking now. You can do interesting things and bring interesting flavors to the table, as long as you’re respecting the basics and the foundations.
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BY Claire Ruhlin
