2155 Hendersonville Road, Arden, NC      (828) 687-7980

The chefs of the Black Forest – George Ettwein, Bill Ettwein, and Greg Ledford – all studied under the mentorship of Chef Herbert Schlenker, the original owner of the Black Forest Restaurant, who was born and raised in the Black Forest region of Germany.  Herr Schlenker shared with them his secrets for true German cuisine, restaurant management skills, and a few life lessons along the way. 

In 1997, these friends and brothers – along with George and Bill’s mother, Carol – purchased the Black Forest from Herr Schlenker with the intent to carry on his legacy of providing authentic German cuisine in the Asheville area. He is a regular visitor and often drops in on his apprentices at the Black Forest, proudly relishing in his legacy.

Infusing specialty dishes and fare that reflects their Italian heritage with Herr Schlenker’s original recipes, the owners of the Black Forest have proudly brought their unique vision of German and European cuisine to the citizens and visitors of Asheville and the surrounding areas for more than 13 years.