The Regional Kitchen & Public House to Open With Chef Lindsay Autry

South Florida chef — and Top Chef season nine finalist  — Lindsay Autry is partnering with restaurateur Thierry Beaud to open The Regional Kitchen & Public House in downtown West Palm Beach's CityPlace. The New American restaurant, slated to open in early 2016, has been nearly a year in the making.

The Regional will be Autry's first venture into restaurant proprietorship. Autry, a North Carolina native best known in South Florida for her Southern-meets-Mediterranean cuisine, entered the Palm Beach County culinary scene in 2009 as executive chef at star chef Michelle Bernstein's Omphoy resort. More recently, she worked as executive chef at the historic Sundy House in Delray Beach, a position she left in late 2013. Since that time, Autry has worked as a chef consultant for Beaud’s Paneterie bakery café, participated in national food and charity events, and launched her own Palm Beach-based catering company, Fin and Feather.

For Beaud, the new concept will add to his roster of dining establishments including West Palm Beach's Pistache French Bistro (with a second location coming to Delray Beach later this year), Paneterie Café and Bakery, PB Catch Seafood & Raw Bar, and Patrick Leze Palm Beach. 

"As a chef who has built a home and career in the Palm Beach area over the past several years, the launch of this amazing project excites me both personally and professionally," said Autry. "I’ve had the privilege of working with this community of talented chefs, local artisans, and farmers over these years, and have seen the powerful influence they've had on our progressing dining scene."

Beaud and Autry first worked together in 2014 when she helped to consult on Paneterie’s current menu of café offerings. Autry’s  industry knowledge and culinary talents made a strong impression on Beaud, and the collaboration gave inspiration for the planning of a full-service dining concept. 

According to Beaud, The Regional — located in the former Las Pampas Grille space — will represent an exciting collaboration that will highlight some new talent.

"With Lindsay at the helm, we knew that a cuisine and overall concept centered on consciously-sourced food that respects the value of innovation, while honoring the nostalgic charm of the American kitchen table, would be the perfect foundation for this culinary venture," said Beaud.

Translation: The Regional will present diners with its own interpretation of America's time-honored cuisine using local ingredients, seasonally influenced dishes inspired by iconic classics featured across the country, and a chef-driven kitchen. Initial design discussions suggest the 10,000-square-foot restaurant will be fully renovated to feature an open-kitchen main dining room, outdoor patio seating, private dining space, and a separate bar and lounge area. 

The Regional will feature dishes that reflect the restaurant's name, says Autry, a chef inspired by consciously sourced ingredients, Autry said she has spent close to a decade working with some of South Florida’s most fundamental industry professionals, including local fisherman, farmers, and culinary artisans. Autry will be working alongside chef de cuisine Sam Horrocks, most recently a sous chef at Pistache, Beaud’s French restaurant located off Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach.

The Regional Kitchen & Public House will be located at 651 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Call 561-366-1000, or visit EatRegional.com.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.