Chef Aaron deal

Executive Chef of Tristan in Charleston 

Aaron Deal wasn’t “born with a spatula in his hand,” but the minute he hit the line in a Boone, NC, kitchen, he knew he’d found his home. “I loved the feeling that I could make people happy by creating food they will remember – food that would mark a wonderful day in their life,” says Deal, who now heads the kitchen of this AAA Four-Diamond restaurant.

Deal worked in numerous kitchens and took university-level business classes before he answered the call to culinary school. Through hard work and a studious approach, he graduated Summa Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales, and took a job in a private club in Charleston, SC. Over the years, he moved into fine dining at Tristan, and recently ascended to the top spot in its famed kitchen. Deal says he’s influenced by seasonality and regionality, and loves nothing more than discovering hidden gems when he’s traveling here and abroad. A recent visit to Mexico City yielded an experience with food that “just popped. That’s what I try to do here – create food that makes a flavor statement.”

Deal has contributed to numerous charitable causes and has also cooked at important food events like the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and the James Beard House. “I was so moved standing in that kitchen, to think of the great chefs I’ve studied and followed. It’s an honor to be in this profession and to bring happiness to people each night.”

Tristan is located at 55 N Market St. in Charleston, SC