Gerry Klaskala

The Climb

Training at CIA gave Gerry Klaskala the technical base for a career that moved in stages: hotel kitchens in Boston and Savannah, ownership in Savannah, a Buckhead partnership, and a long Atlanta run centered on Canoe. The through line is not speed but accumulation, with each role adding another layer of control over the dining room, the kitchen, and the shape of the service around them. Hyatt Hotels in Savannah was where Klaskala first held executive-chef responsibility, then 45 South in Savannah (from 1985) brought co-owner and chef into the same title. That pairing matters in trade terms: it places production and management under one hand, with the cook also accountable for the room, the staff, and the standard the restaurant had to meet. Buckhead Diner in Buckhead (from 1987) extended that discipline into Atlanta, where Klaskala served as chef and managing partner and established a stronger foothold in the city. In 1995, he became chef and restaurateur at Canoe, and in 2000 he founded Aria in Buckhead, guiding it through 2025. Across those rooms, the work stayed pointed toward consistency, restraint, and a clear understanding of what a dining room needs to hold its line over time.

Today

At Aria, the standard was built around preparation, execution, excellence, and close attention to every interaction. Klaskala applied those priorities as operating principles, not decoration: the result was a restaurant culture shaped by discipline at the pass, steadiness in the room, and a service style that treated detail as part of the craft. The food from that period reads the same way. It favored clarity over display, with seasonality handled in a controlled register and comfort kept present without losing precision. Klaskala’s cooking at its best was measured and direct, built so the ingredients could stay legible and the plate could land with balance rather than noise. Creamless celery root soup, identified as Aria’s defining dish in one profile, captures that approach in one bowl. The dish points to a kitchen that valued composure, clean lines, and depth without excess, which is also where Klaskala’s broader style made its case. Klaskala’s own words close the record plainly: "I have head-over-heels loved what I’ve been doing... It’s been a great, great ride. I’m satisfied."

Signature

Gerry's signature dishes include creamless celery soup, Braised Lamb Hocks with Roasted Vidalia Onions and Butter Beans, and braised short rib of beef. Taken together, they show a kitchen working with sturdy ingredients and finishing them with care, aiming for flavors that are grounded, polished, and complete.

In Their Words “I have head-over-heels loved what I’ve been doing... It’s been a great, great ride. I’m satisfied.”

Recognition

Each marks a different stage in a progression from chef to operator, partner, founder, and long-running restaurateur. His career also shows a specific geographic arc, from Hyatt Hotels in Boston and Savannah to 45 South in Savannah, then into Buckhead and greater Atlanta.