Cody Suddreth, former chef at Rooster’s, King’s Kitchen, and Husk, is back in the kitchen. After losing his wife, Dorine, last year, he took some time away from cooking to work at New Town Farms. When he told us he was launching a supper club in her memory called Ralentissez, which means slow down, we were intrigued. Suddreth’s an impressive, thoughtful chef, and we were excited at the chance to eat his food again. At $130 a ticket (which includes gratuity), the dinners aren’t cheap, but a portion of the proceeds benefits local nonprofit HUGS, an organization helping folks heal after the death of a loved one by suicide.

Should you go? Here are five takeaways that will help you make that decision.

1) It can be uncomfortable at first
You ring the doorbell into an unmarked house, and momentarily panic that you’re at the wrong place. You dine with strangers — the dinners can hold up to 12 — and say some awkward hellos when you arrive. However, it doesn’t take long to get over this.

2) It’s a restaurant-quality experience
Our server for the night worked with Suddreth at Husk in Savannah, and she was excellent. She knew a lot about the wine pairings (which were fantastic) and kept a close eye on the table. With such an intimate setting, though, we felt like we really got to know her, too.

3) Everything was extremely thoughtful
This isn’t just a dinner Suddreth throws together. The hand-made clay plates, for example, were made custom to fit Suddreth’s vision. Cutlery is stacked in wooden holders to ensure you have what you need for each course. It’s clear he’s trying to do his best to bring life to the dream he and his wife had.

4) It’s a long meal
The dinner is called Ralentissez, or slow down, for a reason. Suddreth wants his guests to enjoy the company of one another and relax a bit. We arrived a few minutes after the 7 p.m. start time because of confusion about where we were going, and left around 10:30 p.m. after enjoying all five courses.

5) The food is incredible
Suddreth has some serious talent. Each of the dishes was inspired by seasonality, kicking off with a tomato salad using New Town Farms tomatoes and Uno Alla Volta burrata. None were dishes you’d find elsewhere; the seared scallops were served with a grouper terrine and tomato chowder. Even the meat and three is a serious upgrade, with elegantly cooked duck breast, pickled vegetables, tomme cheese, and sea island red peas with collard kimchi.

See photos of the dishes below. The menu changes with each dinner, so we’ll likely be back again over the winter. Interested in getting tickets? Find them here. The events take place twice a month; the next is on September 7. —Kristen Wile

 

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