The Leffew Restaurant Group announced chef Charles Pejeau will join the team as culinary director, overseeing the food programs at both Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar and the new Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen, as well as the group’s special event offerings. A Hilton Head native, he brings nearly 18 years of culinary experience to Leffew Restaurant Group and has worked in restaurants across the Lowcountry. 

“Chef Charles is an integral part of the Hilton Head dining scene and I’m thrilled he’s joining us at the Leffew Restaurant Group,” said co-owner and managing partner David Leffew, who noted the two have worked together in the past. “He truly understands the needs and wants of the community here in Hilton Head both from the local and visitor perspectives, and he is going to be a great asset in helping our two locations succeed.”

Pejeau most recently served as executive chef at Palmetto Dunes Resort. He was also executive chef at Charbar Co. and Holy Tequila, helping develop the menus and open both Hilton Head Island-based restaurants. Diners might know him from his time at Red Fish, celebrity chef Robert Irvine’s Eat!, Sonesta Resort or The Inn at Palmetto Bluff — which was ranked #1 in the U.S. during his tenure there. 

“The Leffew Restaurant Group is doing great things here in Hilton Head and I’m looking forward to joining the team,” Pejeau said. “Lucky Rooster Kitchen + Bar and Lucky Beach Bar + Kitchen are different but still connected by a commitment to hospitality, service, food and creating memorable experiences for guests.”

After receiving his Associate’s Degree of Science in Culinary Arts from the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, he honed his skills at prestigious restaurants in South Florida before returning to Hilton Head, his hometown. He has won multiple regional “Best Burger” awards and been featured in Southern Living magazine’s “Best of the South” list.

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