April Franqueza

The Climb

The foundation was set at Culinary Institute of America, then sharpened on the line at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee from 2016–2020. That stretch gives a pastry program its discipline: pace, timing, and the habit of staying exact under service pressure. Since 2021, April Franqueza has held the Pastry Chef role at High Hampton Resort / The Dining Room at High Hampton, bringing that same working rigor into a dining room that asks for control without stiffness.

Today

At The Dining Room at High Hampton in Cashiers, April Franqueza has served as Pastry Chef since 2021. The setting calls for desserts that fit a resort dining room without losing their edge, and her menu answers with fresh flavors and familiar structures. The work is not built around novelty; it is built around recognizable pleasures handled with care, so the details carry the weight. That is where the menu lands best: in desserts that read as comfortable at first glance and then show their precision on the plate.

Signature

April's signature dishes include Southern Coconut Cake with buttermilk frosting, coconut cake, and strawberry shortcake sundae. The Southern Coconut Cake with buttermilk frosting keeps richness in check with brightness; the coconut cake, made with real coconut milk and toasted flakes, builds flavor through texture and aroma; and the strawberry shortcake sundae layers macerated local berries with hunks of lemon butter cake. Taken together, they show a pastry hand working in classics, but tightening the focus so the flavors stay clear and the desserts still feel generous.

In Their Words “The most exciting part of joining the High Hampton team is the opportunity to take a place that was already so adored by generations and ensure that I could put my own spin on it, connecting the guests to the food.” “I love that each item I have put on the menu uses fresh flavors, or timeless ideas, and our guests feel like they’re experiencing it for the first time.”