Rene Bajeux
La Provence, Lacombe LA
taped at Rene Bistrot
New Orleans LA
http://www.laprovencerestaurant.com
Only 49 other U.S. chefs carry the distinction borne by Chef Rene Bajeux: French Master. It is a tribute to the years of work he has put into perfecting his art.
At Rene Bistrot, warm butterscotch and copper tones created a relaxed atmosphere. Guests chatted amiably as they enjoy Bajeux’ contemporary take on French cuisine and New Orleans dishes. All that stopped with Hurricane Katrina. And Rene Bajeux began a long road to the perfect restaurant for his cuisine, La Provence, set among its own kitchen gardens on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in Lacombe.
Rene Bajeux took a long road just getting to New Orleans. Born in Lorraine in France, he first stepped into a restaurant when he was 14 and started to work. It became his passion. Bajeux worked in Montreal, in Los Angeles, where he was named Chef of the Year; and in Chicago, where he was partner and chef at Bistrot Zinc. He spent five years working for the Four Seasons Hotels in Maui and at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a five-diamond hotel. Coming to New Orleans, he was the executive chef at the Windsor Court Hotel. The hotel’s Grill Room is the only Mobil five-star, AAA five-diamond restaurant in Louisiana, quite a tribute in a state and city filled with fine dining.
Moving to Rene Bistrot, his own place tucked into the stunning contemporary Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel, Bajeux broke away from the formal dining room to create a warm authentic bistro. The restaurant created a huge buzz in New Orleans when it opened. Esquire Magazine named it one of the top 20 Best New Restaurants for 2002.
Then Katrina.
In 2007, across the lake from the city, chef and restaurateur John Besh (Restaurant August, Luke, Besh Steak) took on La Provence, itself a decades-long labor of love by Chef Chris Kerageorgiou. Besh, determined to have the best ingredients for all his restaurants, took over the restaurant and its gardens, which provide for its kitchen. Equally determined to have the finest chef in the kitchen, he paired with Bajeux, who had been awaiting the delayed restoration of Rene Bistrot. It is the right combination of chef and location; La Provence's star will continue to shine.
