DINING ROOM & BAR HOURS
Open Tuesday - Saturday
Doors open at 5:00 p.m.
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thoughtfully crafted. rooted in season. southern at heart.
Named one of The New York Times 50 Best Restaurants in America, 2025
Chef's Tasting Experience
A private chef’s counter buyout with James Beard Award-winning Chef Joseph Lenn.
OVERVIEW
For guests seeking the most personal and immersive expression of J.C. Holdway, the Chef’s Tasting Experience is our most exclusive offering.
This private, multi-course tasting is prepared personally by Chef Joseph Lenn and reserved as a buyout of the chef’s counter for one party of up to six guests. Guests are seated at bar-height seating adjacent to the open kitchen, offering a direct view into the cooking process and continuous interaction with the culinary team throughout the evening.
The experience is reserved as a private buyout of the chef’s counter, allowing the kitchen to focus entirely on your party for the evening. Each tasting menu is bespoke and evolves with the seasons, often featuring off-menu preparations, unique presentations, and ingredients selected specifically for your group.
Guests seeking a multi-course dinner in the dining room may instead enjoy our Chef’s Classics, a five-course menu featuring signature J.C. Holdway dishes.
AVAILABILITY & BOOKING WINDOW
The Chef’s Tasting Experience is offered on a very limited basis and is subject to Chef Joseph Lenn’s availability.
Reservations may be requested up to three months in advance and must be made at least 14 days prior to the desired date. Due to the custom nature of this experience, last-minute requests cannot typically be accommodated.
Availability is not reflected on Resy and cannot be booked online.
SAFETY & ALLERGY CONSIDERATIONS
The chef’s counter is located directly adjacent to our open kitchen. Guests should be aware that shellfish, dairy, nuts, alliums, smoke, and other common allergens are actively present in the environment throughout the evening.
For safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate guests with severe or airborne food allergies, including extreme shellfish allergies. This is an immersive kitchen experience, and full allergen isolation is not possible.
While the menu is bespoke, dietary accommodations are limited by both ingredient exposure and the nature of the cooking environment. All allergies or dietary considerations must be disclosed at the time of inquiry so our team may determine feasibility.
PRICING
The Chef’s Tasting Experience is priced as a private buyout for the chef's counter only.
$3,000 per experience, for up to 6 guests (price excludes beverages and taxes, but does include service charges).
This pricing reflects the bespoke nature of the menu, dedicated staffing, and the personal involvement of Chef Joseph Lenn throughout the evening.
DEPOSIT & CANCELLATION POLICY
A 50% non-refundable deposit ($1,500) is required at the time of booking to secure the date. The remaining balance will be charged 72 hours prior to the scheduled experience. Cancellations or date changes made more than 7 days in advance may be eligible for a one-time reschedule, subject to availability. Cancellations or changes within 7 days of the experience are not permitted, and all payments are forfeited.
Due to the custom sourcing of ingredients and staffing required, all sales are considered final once within the cancellation window.
HOW TO RESERVE
To inquire about the Chef’s Tasting Experience, please email hello@jcholdway.com with your preferred date range, number of guests, and the nature of the occasion.
Reservations are confirmed only after availability is approved and the required deposit is received.
À LA CARTE CHEF’S COUNTER SEATING
In addition to the private Chef’s Tasting Experience, we do offer limited seating at the chef’s counter for guests dining from our à la carte menu.
À la carte chef’s counter seating is booked by securing a standard dinner reservation through Resy and noting your preference for the chef’s counter in the special requests field at the time of booking. Seating at the counter is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
Please note that à la carte chef’s counter seating does not include a bespoke menu, private service, or chef-led experience and should not be confused with the Chef’s Tasting Experience described above.
QUESTIONS?
Email us at hello@jcholdway.com. While phone correspondence is limited due to the nature of our operation, our team is available to assist Tuesday through Saturday, between 1:00–3:00 p.m., at (865) 312-9050.
