Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published July 10, 2008 Randy Lewis, Formerly Of Indigo, Is New Chef Rene Bajeux Leaves La Provence Well, there goes another marriage made in heaven. And it was so good, too--good enough that I was one meal away from giving La Provence its fifth star. Rene Bajeux, the brilliant French master chef whose career since the hurricane has been  filled with starts and stops, has left La Provence after only about a year there. His Rene Bistro opened after the storm, but he moved away from it. When he turned up at La Provence a few months after Chef John Besh bought the place, it seemed like the perfect partnership. Don't know what's wrong, but something must be. According to a press release I received yesterday from the John Besh Restaurant Group, the new chef at La Provence is already in place. It's Randy Lewis, who we last saw about six years ago in the second incarnation if Indigo on Bayou Road. I thought Chef Randy turned that great-looking bistro into the delicious place it deserved to be, after it opened with a very far-out menu. He's been in California for most of the time since then. The release says that John Besh and Rene Bajeux had a friendly parting, and that Rene is looking into opening his own restaurant back in the city. Maybe it was the commute that got under his skin. I hope whatever he does has a longer term than this promising last gig. I guess that fifth star will have to wait. And that La Provence will be re-invented once again. La Provence. Lacombe: 25020 US 190. 985-626-7662. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com