Brian Pavlich
Our Small Town Chef Award Winner Chef Michael Dardenne of the The Saint Restaurant & Bar at the St. Francisville Inn.
Earlier this year, the beloved restaurant at the St. Francisville Inn, The Saint, tragically lost its chef, Jaime Hernandez, to a vehicular accident. Since last April, Chef Hernandez has upheld the Inn’s reputation for comfortable opulence—serving seasonal, ingredient-driven recipes inspired by his Isleño Creole heritage and built upon a commitment to supporting local growers and suppliers. As expressed by the Inn and the entire St. Francisville community, he is already dearly missed.
In his stead, The Saint’s former chef Michael Dardenne—who during his tenure earned the restaurant recognition as one of the Top 100 Restaurants in America by OpenTable, twice—has officially returned to the Inn. A Baton Rouge native who has built up a resume cooking in Baltimore, Atlanta, New York, and London, he was initially drawn to The Saint for its small town community feel, and many of his dishes became St. Francisville classics during the time he was there. On The St. Francisville Inn’s Instagram Post announcing his return, owners wrote, “His culinary expressions of fine dining meets comfort food create phenomenal dishes that every guest can delight in. We look forward to working with Chef Mike for many years to come.”
