Biography – Chef Eric Karell, CEC, AAC
Chef Eric Karell was born in New York City and attended the University of Michigan. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1978 with honors. He has worked in Atlanta since 1978, holding notable positions such as the Banquet Chef – Omni Hotel; Executive Chef – Old Vinings Inn; Executive Chef – Bone’s Steak House (consistently chosen as the #1 steak house in Atlanta). He was the Executive Sous Chef at the Cherokee Town Club and worked under two Certified Master Chefs, Tom Catherall and Mark Erickson.
From 1991 to 2011 Eric was the Executive Chef of the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth. During his time at AAC, he supervised 2 PGA Championship Tournaments serving over 5,000 meals per day out of the clubhouse, and numerous other achievements. Last year Business Week magazine named the Atlanta Athletic Club the best private Athletic Club in the US. The same article named the Cherokee Town and Country Club as the best private Country Club in the nation. Chef Karell is the only Chef to have worked at both clubs. He is currently the Executive Chef at the Cherokee Town Club.
Eric won the Gold Medal and Best of Show in 1987 at the Southeastern Hospitality Show Culinary Salon. He has won 2 other gold medals and two bronze medals in culinary competitions.
Eric achieved Certification as Executive Chef in 1993, and was named 1994 Chef of the Year by the Greater Atlanta Chef’s Association of the American Culinary Federation. He has been a member of the ACF since 1978. In the Greater Atlanta Chapter he has served as Board member, Newsletter Editor, Secretary, and Chapter President. He taught in the Apprenticeship program for 10 years. Eric has taught Sanitation, Management, Food Cost and Financial planning Seminars for the local ACF chapter, and was appointed to the Alumni Board of the Culinary Institute of America in 1998.
He was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in 2010, the Honor Society of the American Culinary Federation.
Eric has been married to the former Cathy Carter for 24 years and has 2 children, Jessie, who is 19 years old and attends the College of Charleston, and Jonathan, who is 16 years old. Chef Eric currently resides in Johns Creek, Georgia and is eager to join the St Ives team. Eric will be on board intermittingly as he works through his commitment to Cherokee over the next month. If you run into him while he is on site, please give him a warm welcome. He very much looks forward to meeting the St Ives membership.
St. Ives Country Club 