While Craig's cuisine is dotted with worldly flairs, the Danville, PA native didn’t venture far from home to begin his culinary journey. Deihl found his first culinary experience in the kitchen of the landmark PIne Bark Inn in his hometown. After attending Johnson Wales University in Charleston, SC on a scholarship, Deihl began training under acclaimed Chef Donald Barickman of Magnolias. After 5 years of hard work Deihl helped open Cypress in 2001, where he was quickly promoted to executive chef after 6 months.

As one of the South’s most exciting and talented young chefs, Deihl was a James Beard Foundation nominee for Best Chef: Southeast in both 2010 and 2011 and was named Chef of the Year by the Charleston chapter of the American Culinary Foundation in 2011. Deihl’s commitment to all things culinary also brought him the utmost of unique opportunities: a partnership with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Farmer Gra Moore of Carolina Heritage Farm, afforded Deihl the opportunity to be the first chef, in over 100 years, to cook the rare American Guinea Hog.

Chef Diehl also competed in the 2019 World Butchery Championships in Ireland as a member of Team USA.