a taste of Nola
French-trained Houston chefs team up for one-night-only Mardi Gras dinner

Suckling pig porchetta muffuletta with olive salad, smoked ham demi-glace, and provolone sauce.
Two top Houston chefs are teaming up for a one-night-only salute to the flavors of Mardi Gras. Taking place Friday, February 6 at Chardon, the Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler dinner unites chef EJ Miller of Chardon with New Orleans native Dominick Lee, who will open progressive Creole restaurant Augustine’s later this year.
The three-course, $95 dinner (optional beverage pairing, $55) begins with an starters for the table that include poached shrimp with Muối Ớt Xanh (Vietnamese green chili dipping sauce) and bread service of a po’ boy roll with duck fat butter. Appetizer choices consist of escargot Rockefeller, Creole bucatini, and hog head cheese pâté en croûte.
Entree selections dive deep into Louisiana culinary traditions with choices that include gumbo Americana with duck breast, suckling pig porchetta “muffuletta,” and chicken-fried rabbit. A bone-in New York strip is available as a supplement. For dessert, choose from king cake profiteroles, sweet potato and black lime Mont Blanc, and “Zydeco crunch.” Everyone leaves with a warm beignet for the ride home.
“This dinner is about celebrating shared roots, creative freedom, and the joy of the season,” Miller said in a statement. “Chef Dom brings an exciting, modern Creole perspective that pairs beautifully with our Texas French approach. It’s festive, indulgent, and meant to be enjoyed together.”
“Creole and French cooking are inherently entwined. They come from the same place but tell different stories,” Lee added. “Chef EJ and I share a respect for tradition and a love for pushing these narratives forward, and this dinner is a chance to bring those two conversations to the same table.”
Miller has been Chardon’s executive chef since the French restaurant opened in February 2025. His resume includes time at SaltAir Seafood Kitchen, Riel, Muse, and International Smoke, celebrity chef Michael Mina’s short-lived, smoke-infused restaurant in CityCentre.
Two years in development, Augustine’s will open later this year at the Hotel King David in Third Ward. Lee brings a diverse array of experiences to his role, including working as the executive sous chef at Indian fine dining restaurant Kiran’s, the executive chef of globally-inspired Poitín Bar & Kitchen, and two years working and studying in Italy.
Seats for the Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler dinner are available on OpenTable.
