General Manager Allen Courteau Jr. first worked in this building in the early 1990s as a dishwasher, when the restaurant was known as Il Giardino, and he has watched the institution evolve. "We've tried to elevate the expectations of people when they come in," he says. "I consider Chef Pat to have brought our menu to a level higher than it has ever been, and Todd's flair is what attracts people into Aficionados."
Asst.General Manager Rebecca Gale has worked for Cafe Milano since 2002. She started her career as a server for nearly two years until promoted. "Working in the service industry for almost 12 years has taught me to always expect the unexpected and there is never a dull moment. Our creative and intrguing staff works hard as a team to ensure our guests have an eventful experience."
Aficionados Manager Amanda Henderson is currently pursuing a business degree at Nicholls State University. She started working as a server for Cafe Milano in 2003. Her bartending career began at Aficionados about four months later and she was promoted in November of 2004. "Our great staff and faithful customers make this a pleasant work environment. We have a combination of wonderful food with a splash of elegance and a twist of southern hospitality."

Chef Patrick Besson graduated in the inaugural class of the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University -- a class which Folse himself taught -- and he worked with Master Chef Hartman Hankie, who was on the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team. He was executive chef at ten other restaurants before he settled into Cafe Milano. “The fare was basically Italian when I got here,” he recalls. “I brought in Italian Creole. I put my own twist into it -- the evolution of Creole in this area with Italian. There are so many cuisines merging, marrying with each other. It gets more clarified. The clientele was intrigued, so we went with it.” With his kitchen staff of seven -- three or four of whom are here each evening -- Besson maintains a personal vision “I’m a hands-on type chef,” he says. “I work on the line with the chefs. They’re all chefs.” He likes to keep things in perspective. “Having fun -- that’s what it’s all about,” Besson says. “Enjoy yourself. If you can teach yourself how to enjoy yourself, it comes out in your food.”