Our Team

Dickie Brennan

As part of the famed New Orleans restaurant family, Dickie Brennan had an early education in hospitality at family owned, Commander's Palace under Chef Paul Prudhomme. This was the beginning of a long journey down the road as a restaurateur. Being raised in a family where the motto is "exposure and learn from others" he traveled extensively, and trained under some of the world's great culinary legends. It was his time spent working in a few of Paris' acclaimed restaurants, that inspired his vision for Palace Café; New Orleans' version of a Grand Parisian Café.

Palace Café opened in 1991, and following its first year of operation Dickie became Executive Chef-to-date he remains the only family member to have held this position.

In 1998, with sister, Lauren Brennan Brower and business partner, Steve Pettus, he opened Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse. In 2002, Dickie released his first cookbook, Palace Café: The Flavor of New Orleans, and just a few years later they opened Bourbon House Seafood and Oyster Bar. Both restaurants have also received national acclaim.

Dickie remains active in the hospitality industry and community. In addition to being an ambassador for New Orleans and its unique culture, he recently joined the James Beard Foundation Board of Trustees and The Southern Food & Beverage Museum Board.

Lauren Brennan Brower

Managing Partner

From a childhood spent at Commander's Palace, to a formal education from Louisiana State University, Ville de Francais and La Varenne Cooking School, pursuing the family business was a natural step.

After returning home from studying in France, Lauren assisted with the day-to-day operations of family owned, Mr. B's Bistro and Commander's Palace. She remained at Commander's Palace until the "birth" of Palace Café in 1991. Throughout the years she has had a large part in shaping the overall décor and ambience of Palace Café, Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse and Bourbon House.

Today, Lauren is a familiar presence in the dining rooms and at the front doors of Palace Café, Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse and Bourbon House. She shares ownership of these restaurants with her brother Dickie Brennan and business partner Steve Pettus.

Steven L. Pettus

Managing Partner

A through and through New Orleanian, Steve started his working relationship with Dickie Brennan as General Manager of Palace Café in 1990. While GM, Steve enrolled in Loyola University Law School, where he graduated with honors in 1995. His formal education, his years of operational restaurant experience (Steak & Ale, Bourbon Orleans Hotel and Palace Café), and his passion for the restaurant business perfectly suited Steve to move into his next position with Dickie Brennan's family, as In-house Counsel for the Commander's Palace Family of Restaurants (comprised of Commander's Palace, Mr. B's Bistro, Brennan's of Houston, Third Coast, Palace Café and Bacco).

Through the years, Steve maintained a professional relationship and friendship with Dickie and in November 1997, they partnered to form Dickie Brennan & Company - A Restaurant Group (comprised of Palace Café and Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse). In the Fall of 2002, Dickie Brennan & Company added a third restaurant, Bourbon House. Dickie Brennan, his sister Lauren Brennan Brower and Steve Pettus share ownership of Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse and Bourbon House.

Deeply committed to helping his city, Steve is currently on the board of multiple civic organizations including the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, Louisiana Restaurant Association and the French Quarter-Marigny Historic Area Management District.

Levi Janssen

General Manager

Currently the General Manager of Palace Café, Levi Janssen was born and raised in New Orleans. In 1991, he started his career in the restaurant industry as food runner, dishwasher, and back waiter for a corporate restaurant group. It was during his time there that he realized his passion for the hospitality field and decided to attend the University of New Orleans to pursue a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration. He loved the culinary and service aspects of the restaurant business so much so that he gained experience in both. This has been a significant factor in his success. For the ten years that Levi was employed by a corporate chain, he worked in 13 restaurants as both front and back of the house manager, and was an integral part of six openings. In 2001, Levi became Kitchen Manager at Palace Café. From there he served multiple key roles in all three Dickie Brennan & Co. restaurants. After Hurricane Katrina, he became General Manager of Palace Café and has helped rebuild the restaurant as it continues to gain critical acclaim.

Darin Nesbit

Executive Chef

A formally trained chef with years of experience in New Orleans' best restaurants, Chef Darin Nesbit runs the kitchens at Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House and Palace Café.

His first professional experience came at Commander's Palace under the tutelage of then Executive Chef Jamie Shannon. During his tenure, he was a key member of the culinary team that led Commander's Palace to be named Outstanding Restaurant in America from the James Beard Foundation.

In 1997, Darin joined Dickie Brennan at Palace Cafe. His focus on food presentation, his keen understanding of culinary technique, and his zeal for flavorful Creole cooking make Darin Nesbit an instrumental asset. Hurricane Katrina presented a completely uncharted environment to run a restaurant. Darin's success in rebuilding his team, and strong commitment to supporting his sister restaurants, made him the natural choice to oversee the Bourbon House kitchen. In August of 2007, Dickie Brennan asked Darin to assume the position as Executive Chef of Bourbon House, in addition to his role at Palace Café.

His most meaningful accomplishment, however, is likely his mentoring skills which attract serious culinary students from around the world. Under Darin's direction, the best local produce is used to create seasonal, contemporary and classic Creole dishes with great depth of flavor. All stocks, soups and sauces are housemade. Ducks are dry-aged and bacon is cured in-house. Specialty breads and desserts are all made from scratch.

Thankfully, Darin is willing to share his secrets with others. He has been a featured chef at the revered James Beard House, the world renowned Cal-A-Vie Spa in Vista, CA, The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, AL, and has appeared on the Today Show. Chef Darin frequently conducts culinary demonstrations for audiences ranging from ten to more than one hundred. He is comfortable on camera, and in person, sharing his love of cooking.

Ben Thibodeaux

Chef de Cuisine

Born into a large Lafayette, LA family, Chef Ben Thibodeaux grew up hunting, fishing, and cooking traditional South Louisiana food. Many of his weekends were spent in the Atchafalaya Basin hunting deer, turkeys, and rabbits and fishing for bass, sac au lait and catfish. Food was more than sustenance, it was a tradition. Dinner was a family ritual, where the food was homemade and everyone took the time to sit down and dine together. Crawfish boils and fish fries were common meals for Chef Ben, as well as boudin balls and cracklins.

Chef Ben’s formal culinary training came at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. It was there that he refined his culinary techniques and was presented with the opportunity to train in France at the three Michelin star restaurant, Coutanceau in La Rochelle, but he was anxious to get back to South Louisiana. After returning to the United States, Chef Ben worked in two upscale Italian restaurants until returning to his roots by cooking Louisiana style—Contemporary Creole at Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café in New Orleans. He brings South Louisiana cuisine to New Orleans, but embraces the classy, elegant New Orleans culinary style. He loves his work and enjoys learning as he experiments and tests new ideas. This love is evident through awards he’s won, including the Silver Culinary Award at the 2008 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting. Currently Chef de Cuisine, under Executive Chef Darin Nesbit, Chef Ben takes Creole food to a new level with his own twists on classic dishes.