*This story was written before Regina Charboneau closed her restaurant Regina’s Kitchen (now called The Kitchen Piano & Bistro Bar). Regina is still a fixture in the Natchez culinary (and social) scene, now teaching biscuit making classes in downtown Natchez.

A lifetime Mississippian, I have always heard of Natchez, but I craved to know more.  Initial research brought me to a biscuit making class taught by a woman named Regina. It seemed interesting, but I never had time to make it happen. Little did I know that years later, on a short trip for my birthday, I would meet the most gracious, hospitable, charming, and welcoming Southern woman from Natchez, Mississippi–– Regina Charbeneau.

Regina’s restaurants have graced the palettes of New York and San Francisco, where food writers have described Regina’s style of cooking as contemporary French with a Southern influence.  Regina describes french cuisine as her biggest influence, but classic Southern ingredients have always creeped their way back into her recipes. Regina is a 7th generation resident of Natchez and in April 2019 opened up her 7th restaurant there, called Regina’s Kitchen. (reginaskitchen.com) That name describes exactly how you feel when you enter her doors; you are greeted as if you are coming into her own home to have a fabulous dinner party.

In September of this year, a new book about Natchez was released by Richard Grant, entitled The Deepest South of All. (simonandschuster.com and @simonbooks) Richard and Regina met at an event in the Mississippi Delta.  Here, Regina invited him to come to visit Natchez and attended a party with Regina and her husband, Doug.  Soon after his arrival, Richard discovered there was a book that needed to be written about Natchez.  Graciously Regina allowed the writer to live at Twin Oaks, her former pilgrimage home, while researching for the book.  Doug, upon first visiting Natchez said, “I used to have the utmost respect for Southern writers, but they just write what they see.”  In Natchez, I, too, found this to be true. The jewels of this unique town are the people and its history; as described in The Deepest South of All, “loveliness” and “lunacy.”

While visiting with Regina for this story, the book had only been out for about two weeks.  The controversy of the book and Regina’s part were causing some rift amongst her friends that were members of the garden club (subject of the book).  She has received a call from a garden club member and said her cookbook would be on the curb.  She handled it with utter grace, Southern charm, and a keen sense of humor. I had to ask her where this confidence came from.  “My parents,” she said,  “They never met a stranger.  My mom and dad always welcomed everyone.”  When she was growing up in Natchez in the 60s, amidst so much controversy in Mississippi and specifically Natchez, she was taught to welcome all no matter the differences. Regina says her mom was super “chill” and could find humor in any seemingly bad situation.  I found this gift in Regina as she was getting angry emails and texts about the controversy in the book.

Regina has a bookshelf full of memories and pictures of quite a few famous people.  I asked who was her favorite celebrity that she has met.  Lily Tomlin, Shirley McClain, Tim Curry, Annie Potts, Rolling Stones and Robin Williams were just a few.  Laurie McClaurin Williams, Robin Williams’s mother, was a close friend of Regina’s when she lived in San Francisco.  Laurie was from Pass Christian, MS originally and a Jackson native–– so, Robin Williams’s great-great grandfather served as governor of Mississippi from 1896–1900.  Who knew?  

Outside of her incredibly busy schedule, Regina’s favorite way to unwind is actually by having people over and simply visiting.  I must say it is a treat!  She loves design; it shows in her restaurant and her new French-inspired bungalow in downtown NATCH-ez.  By the way, I LOVE the way Regina pronounces the name of her hometown, NATCH-ez. Effortlessly entertaining is definitely her gift, which she learned from her mom. 

Thank you Regina Charbeneau, and Johnny Cash (Regina’s LARGE fur baby), for entertaining us so perfectly every time we meet.  If you find yourself in NATCH-ez, and I highly recommend you do, pop into Regina’s Kitchen–– and tell her I sent y'all.