Charles Pejeau

Coming Up

Technique was built first, then scaled. Charles Pejeau trained at Florida Culinary Institute before moving through executive kitchens that tested both process and command. As Executive Chef at Sonesta Hotels in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States (2016–2020), he worked in a setting that sharpened the practical demands of running a large operation. He then took on Red Fish (2020–2021), where rhythm, consistency, and service pressure stayed central to the job. The current span of roles reflects that same accumulation. Charles is Executive Chef of Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort (since 2021) and Executive Chef of Lu Niang Zi (Huli). The progression from training to multi-kitchen leadership shows craft becoming organizational as well as technical: structure, timing, and steadiness carrying as much weight as the food itself.

Where They Are Now

Beef noodle soup and marinated plates define the present work at Lu Niang Zi (Huli), where Charles Pejeau serves as Executive Chef. The kitchen’s register is controlled and exacting rather than broad, with precision carrying through cooking and seasoning. The result is a dining experience built around deliberate detail, where restraint does the work that ornament would otherwise try to do.

Signature

Bacon marmalade is listed among Charles Pejeau’s signature dishes.

In Their Words “I got some really great experience there running a big operation and managing a bigger team. It was really the building blocks of my management skills and helped me beef up my skills on the banquet side of things.”

Honors

Charles Pejeau’s honors include Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024).