As Aria’s pastry chef, Kathryn King combines an eye for design with seasonal ingredients to create dishes that make saving room for dessert a very pleasurable experience. She is highly regarded for creating innovative twists on classic American desserts. As Creative Loafing states, “her sweets have an unerring sense of harmony – part nostalgic Americana, part technical fireworks.”

King has given her whole heart and attention to detail to Aria’s often-changing menu since the restaurant’s inception. She designs desserts that are flavor-driven, and complement Chef Gerry Klaskala's savory menu each evening. From wild blueberry tarts with lemon cream to Bing cherry custard with fresh cherry compote and almond macaroon tartlets, to longtime favorites like warm chocolate cheesecake with walnut crust, King creates a memorable grand finale. Her desserts are a reflection of the season and highlight only the freshest ingredient, consistently earning King a top spot as one of Atlanta’s best pastry chefs. A member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, she is also a supporter of locally-grown, seasonal ingredients and takes great pleasure in raising awareness about using local produce whenever possible.

Now a “formidable pastry presence” on the city’s dining scene, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls her, King first cultivated this passion for cooking and hand-made sweets at an early age in the kitchens of her mother, grandmother and great aunts. It was here that her inspiration took root and followed her while she studied fine art and ceramics at the University of Georgia.

In her spare time, King enjoys gardening, dining out, and playing with her Australian Cattle Dog. She also creates sterling silver and gemstone jewelry in her home studio.