Saint-Germain, the tiny Bywater tasting counter run by chefs Trey Smith and Blake Aguillard, is finding out what happens when a neighborhood hangout gets a Michelin halo. The owners say revenue has jumped roughly 60-80 percent, the fixed-price tasting menu now costs more, and added staff have finally given the kitchen enough backup for the chefs to take weekends off. The shift has turned this modest natural-wine bar into a real-time case study in what Michelin recognition can do to a small New Orleans restaurant.
Chefs Say Michelin “Hits Different”
Chef Trey Smith told Axios that "Michelin hits different," calling the new honor "a massive jump up" after inspectors named the restaurant. In that interview, he explained that the team raised its tasting-menu price and brought on more staff to keep up with demand, changes he ties directly to the revenue surge the kitchen is now seeing.
A Star From The Michelin Guide
Saint-Germain was awarded one MICHELIN Star as part of the guide's inaugural American South selection, announced Nov. 3, 2025, according to the MICHELIN Guide. Inspectors singled out the restaurant's intimate bar, its seasonal tasting progression, and signature touches like griddled cornbread with house-aged butter.
Built Small, Scaled Fast
Saint-Germain opened in 2018 as a Paris-style wine bar with a small tasting room, founded by Blake Aguillard, Trey Smith, and manager Drew DeLaughter, according to Eater New Orleans. That deliberately tight setup, just a handful of tasting seats on select nights, made the post-star growth especially stark and forced the partners to rethink staffing, pricing, and the rhythm of service.
What The Star Means For New Orleans
The timing of Saint-Germain's rise lines up with a wave of major culinary events in New Orleans, including North America's 50 Best Restaurants gatherings and continental rounds of the Bocuse d'Or, which local tourism officials say are sharpening national attention on the city. As outlined by NewOrleans.com, those high-profile events are helping drive demand for hard-to-get seats and are nudging small, high-end spots to either grow or recalibrate prices.
Co-owner Drew DeLaughter told Axios that guests who once thought of a Michelin meal as a faraway bucket-list splurge are now finding that experience in their own city. "You could tell they weren't big diners, but they had a great time," he said. For Saint-Germain, the star has delivered breathing room and pressure at the same time: more revenue and visibility, but also tougher calls on pricing and how accessible a Michelin-level meal in Bywater can really be.
