Legendary Lafayette Restaurateur Charlie Goodson Dies After Cancer Battle

Lafayette has lost one of the most influential figures in its culinary history.

Charlie Goodson, founder of Charley G's and a driving force behind several of the city’s best-known restaurants, has died following a battle with esophageal cancer. Goodson passed away at his home in Lafayette on Wednesday after a lengthy illness, according to family members.

Goodson was widely regarded as a cornerstone of Louisiana’s restaurant industry, with a career that helped define upscale and locally driven dining in Acadiana.

A Career That Shaped Lafayette Dining

Goodson’s journey in the restaurant world dates back to the 1970s, when he began with Judge Roy Bean's Saloon. That concept later evolved, with partners, into Café Vermilionville, now one of the area’s most celebrated fine dining destinations.

In 1985, he founded Charley G's, a restaurant that became synonymous with Lafayette’s dining scene. He later helped open Hub City Diner in 1990 with partners Pat Mould and George Graham, adding another beloved concept to his legacy.

In 2013, Goodson once again made an impact with the launch of Southern Hospitality Kitchens alongside Marc Krampe and Jody Ferguson. The group operates Charley G's, Social Southern Table & Bar, Marcello's Lafayette, Pete's, and The Tap Room.

Get our free mobile app

A Leader Beyond The Kitchen

Goodson’s influence extended beyond his own restaurants. He helped found the Eat Lafayette initiative, which promotes locally owned restaurants, and remained deeply involved in industry leadership.

He was named Restaurateur of the Year in 2017 by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association. Over the years, he also served as both a state and chapter president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

Friends say Goodson was just as impactful personally as he was professionally. Those close to him describe a tight-knit community of friends and colleagues who are heartbroken by his passing.

Charlie Goodson’s legacy lives on in the restaurants he built, the people he mentored, and the dining culture he helped grow in Lafayette.

We send our personal condolences to his family.