In a town where hospitality is blood, sweat, and tears, the Lunaverse Restaurant Group is celebrating a major win for one of its own. Corey Johnson, the charismatic and seasoned professional leading the front-of-house at Augustine, has been named the 2026 Rose Award winner for Outstanding Culinary Service Professional.
The Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Awards, presented annually by Visit Lake Charles during National Travel and Tourism Week, honor those who "go above and beyond to create memorable experiences for locals and visitors to Southwest Louisiana". This honor is a testament to Johnson’s remarkable career, which began right here in Lake Charles when he was just a freshman at LaGrange High School, working at Byron Catering in 1990.1
"I realized I am good at being a server. I’m personable. I gauge a table. When you let me in, I am going to give you a show with your meal,” Johnson says, reflecting on his decades in the industry.
Augustine Restaurant Celebrates 2026 Rose Winner
Johnson’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: "Treat people the way I want to be treated when I am enjoying a meal. I want to feel welcome, and I want my customers to feel welcome". This means providing warmth, genuine appreciation, and a dinner that is never rushed. In the end, he ensures his customer feels comfortable, "like they are at home". A true front-of-house professional, he adds, must also be "well-versed on drinks and food" because "most people do not know what they want when they come to a restaurant.”
1Before bringing his talent to Augustine, Johnson, 53, honed his craft at some of Southwest Louisiana's most storied institutions, including Pat’s of Henderson, China Garden, The City Club, Mazen’s, The Pioneer Club, and The Snake River Grill (which became Embers at L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort).
Johnson describes his experience at Augustine as a revitalization: “It has been a long time since I have enjoyed the experience of coming to work. I enjoy the team I work with here at Augustine. We are truly like a little family”. He is confident that any guest will enjoy their time, saying, “Even if it is not me, I am confident in the bar staff, the floor staff, and the wonderful food coming out of Chef Eric’s (McCree) kitchen. We have a level of care and expectation as a staff when you walk into the restaurant.”
For Chef Dave Evans, owner and visionary behind Augustine, securing Johnson was a significant win. "We were ecstatic to get Corey on the team," Evans noted. "He is a well-established hospitality professional who knows so many people who visit us here at Augustine. He is the type of person who makes our restaurant and the Lunaverse Restaurant Group strong.”
Johnson is the heart of what makes Augustine special—an extension of Chef Evans' vision to bring a "slightly more elevated dining experience to Lake Charles." Augustine is where decades of local culinary history and world-class service meet.
