Chelsey Barringer credits Lunchables as the inspiration for Graz’n Tables Charcuterie.
“As kids, we loved Lunchables,” says Barringer, owner of the business that specializes in custom-made charcuterie boards. “We loved eating with our hands.”
Lunchables, which are still made, were “predominantly cheese and crackers” and were favorites of hers growing up “as a ’90s child” in Raleigh.
The snacks, which were “like a miniaturized version of a board,” were in the back of her mind when she began creating charcuterie boards. She thought, “What happened if you created a healthier version? Not processed things. Adult size.”
Describing her charcuterie boards, Barringer says, “You get fresh fruits, fresh vegetables. You get curated meats and cheese. And you get two dips. One is my homemade cookie dough fruit dip.”
She also includes her fried pickle dip, hummus, and bacon cheddar ranch dip. And in a separate box she adds “flavored popcorn, crackers, miniature chocolate chip cookies, a cranberry ice stick,” as well as “an assortment of nuts and praline pecans.”
Barringer and her husband, Bryan, who grew up in New Iberia, Louisiana, love to order charcuterie boards at restaurants. But, she says, “It was kind of hard to find one that wasn’t predominantly meat or had enough cheese, accompaniments, or jam.”
She was hooked after she made her first charcuterie board for a baby shower. The board, which reflected her “Cajun Southern style” (her husband taught her to cook Cajun food), consisted of “a crawfish Rotel dip that you could eat with Fritos chips. Or we had red tortilla chips. Dolphins made out of bananas. I made a shark out of a watermelon by carving it. It was sliced watermelon with feta and balsamic vinegar on top.”
The 12-by-4 foot board served close to 75 or 100 people.
Her creativity in the kitchen began when she was in the fifth grade and started cooking dinner for her single working mother and her two sisters. “We would kind of play around with different ingredients. As disgusting as this sounds, one was mac and cheese, hot dogs, and baked beans. It had to be the maple brown sugar baked beans. That’s how I fell in love with that savory sweet combination.”
Barringer was a mortgage officer for six years before quitting to concentrate on her charcuterie boards.
She thought her business would “be like a little side hobby.” But her business “took off” after she began posting photos of her boards on Facebook.
It really took off when she began doing catering jobs for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Evangelical Christian School, and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.
Barringer’s charcuterie boards range in price from $65 to $880. And customers get to keep the boards, which they can return to get refilled at a reduced price.
After outgrowing her kitchen and her mother’s kitchen, Barringer opened Graz’n Tables Charcuterie at 1996 Houston Levee Road, Suite 102, in Collierville. Her sister, co-chef Amber Winters, and their mother, Paula Kovacs, work with her.
In addition to charcuterie, Barringer makes a variety of breakfast biscuits, breakfast burritos, croissant sandwiches, and her Memphis Muffuletta, which consists of fresh baked sourdough bread with olive tapas, four slices of provolone cheese, pepperoni salami, and prosciutto. Barringer mashes it down with a panini press and serves it with mustard and aioli and her homemade pasta salad.
A big community supporter, Barringer carries locally-made products. And she believes “no child should go hungry in this city. Memphis is a food city. I even have a sign in my store, ‘If you can’t afford a meal, let me know and we’ll supply one.’”
Barringer will hold a “Trunk or Treat” at 7 p.m. on October 27th at Graz’n Tables Charcuterie. About 25 of her vendors will load up the back of their cars in the parking lot with homemade chili, chicken chili, cornbread, and other items. Inside, Barringer will provide apple cider and hot cocoas. “We’ll be serving families throughout the night. And kids can go through the cars and go trick-or-treating.”
And, she adds, “It’s free from my vendors. Just show up.”
