Photo courtesy of Regina Charboneau
The interior of King's Tavern, where Regina Charboneau will teach cooking classes
This fall, celebrated Natchez chef Regina Charboneau’s newest venture sees her slipping back into a very old space—one that has served as an inn, a watering hole, a mail station, a restaurant, and a private home during its 230-year history. Now, King’s Tavern (aka Natchez’s oldest building) is embarking on a new chapter as Charboneau's new cooking school.
Originally constructed in 1789, the time blackened timbers and rough brick walls of King’s Tavern have been witness to their fair share of myths and legends—culinary and otherwise. “On the third floor, we'll have a little museum of the history of the building and all the ghost stories,” Charboneau said. Next door to the tavern stands Charboneau Distillery. Founded by Charboneau’s husband, Doug, and the couple’s son, Jean-Luc to produce rum, the distillery has recently expanded its offerings to include gin and vodka. A tasting room is forthcoming.
Charboneau’s cooking classes place equal emphasis on teaching culinary technique, and having a good time. Offerings will include a Saturday brunch class, a session on properly executing a traditional French menu, a Southern Italian cuisine class, and even ramen-making lessons. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Charboneau will host Regina’s Table, a limited-capacity restaurant seating offering a prix fixe menu at a set price of $45 per person. (On Thursdays, smoked prime rib prepared by Charboneau’s brother will cost a little more: $65 per person.) “I wanted to replicate the feel of dinner parties at my house,” Charboneau says. “Whatever I do on Tuesdays is not going to be anything you would find at a local restaurant. It’ll be something you would find if you were a guest in my home—whatever I feel like cooking, and lots of it.”
