Tucked away in a Charleston alley, Chez Nous can take a little time to track down. But since opening in 2014, Patrick Panella has transformed his hidden gem of a restaurant into a beloved destination. The lightly restored 1835 single-family house, with its 36-seat indoor capacity and additional fenced courtyard, offers a unique and unforgettable dining experience for all who find it. Today it’s a cult favorite, drawing a discerning mix of adventurous locals and out-of-towners.
“We don’t get much in the way of walk-by traffic,” Panella says. “Our average customer has already heard about the specific way we do things and what we do.”
In keeping with its homestyle ambiance, Chez Nous has a rotating menu with spare yet thoughtful offerings: just two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts each day, inspired by the flavors of Northern Italy, Northern Spain, and Southern France. Signature dishes like house-made sourdough, frisee salad, duck with brown butter, and pan-seared flounder highlight Panella and his chef Jill Mathias’s dedication to simplicity and style.
“Our idea for this restaurant came from experiences at our favorite small restaurants in Paris and around France,” Panella explains. “You get these great ingredients, make a menu with them, and that’s it – when it’s gone, it’s gone.”
A key ingredient at Chez Nous is the fire Panella brings to the table – he calls the place his “passion project.” Supporting him in maintaining his high standards are the financial tools and digital solutions that help him keep his finances on track. By using American Express Business Blueprint™ for support on cash flow management and Resy for elevating service and customer interaction, Panella has been able to rely on trusted backing to help drive the restaurant’s success.
From business concept to reality
Panella, whose accomplishments also include opening wine bar Bin 152 and neighboring restaurant Malagón, has been a force in Charleston’s culinary scene for more than 15 years. He and his French-born wife, Fanny, secured the historic property a decade ago, before they knew the 800-square-foot space would house their latest venture.
“I said to her, ‘Hey, maybe we should put a restaurant in here.’ And she’s like, ‘Absolutely not!’” Panella recalls with a chuckle. “Then six months later, she goes, ‘Hey, we should put a restaurant in there.’ That’s how Chez Nous came to be.”
Joining forces with Mathias and her husband, chef Juan Cassalett, the couple opened Chez Nous in 2014 after a brief renovation. Right on the edge of the downtown historic district, the site played a vital role in the choice of furnishings. Enlisting the help of a local antiques dealer, the Panellas conjured a chic and charming ambiance that feels perfect for an eatery with European roots. Across the dining room, the restaurant preserves original features like wide-plank pine floors and fireplaces, enhanced by antique photographs and handwritten menus, for a personal touch.
“Charleston’s been very good to us,” says Panella. “When we refurbished, we wanted to honor the true identity of the building.”
The added value of Membership
This attention to detail and commitment to authenticity is reflected in Panella’s partnership-driven approach to managing the business side of Chez Nous. The entrepreneur has been an American Express Member since 2009, leveraging various American Express business products to support his endeavors. “I’ve always felt like American Express doesn’t nickel-and-dime you,” he says. “It’s just like, Amex is here to help.”
With an arsenal of American Express® Cards for his businesses and personal use, Panella appreciates the straightforward terms, customer service, and comprehensive benefits of each Card. For routine expenses, Panella turns to the Blue Business® Plus Card. “It’s good for every day,” he says. Both his Business Platinum and Delta SkyMiles® Business Cards1 offer airline benefits that complement frequent travel. “I travel to France a ton, and my Cards’ travel benefits are incredible,” he says. Depending on the Card, he can redeem Membership Rewards® points he earns for travel, and he often enjoys a great redemption value on commercial airlines. At the airport, Panella treasures his access to the upscale Global Lounge Collection®.
“I have my go-to’s for different situations,” Panella says. “Different Cards are good depending on what you’re using them for.”
A toolkit for optimizing operations
Panella has also found significant value in the American Express® Business Line of Credit 2 “It’s a no-nonsense line of credit,” he says, adding that he appreciates its flexibility.
The revolving Business Line of Credit offers Panella flexible access to short-term funding, enabling him to address cash flow issues and fund new projects. He hopes to use the line of credit to cover expenses for his new wine bar, La Bonbonnette, in the Marais district of Paris. “We have expenses with the build-out, and if suddenly the architect tells me we’re going over budget, I could consider using my available line.”
American Express® Business Checking3 has a competitive APY, zero monthly maintenance fees, and the ability to earn Membership Rewards® points4 with a Debit Card. Membership Rewards® points can be redeemed for deposits into an American Express® Business Checking account. Panella started using this digital banking product for his business finances in late 2023. The convenience of online banking services furthers the appeal. “I love the way American Express operates now,” Panella says, emphasizing the newfound efficiency of going digital. Managing finances online allows him to take banking with him, wherever he goes.
Comprehensive cash flow management
Panella’s positive experience with American Express extends beyond financial tools. He values the ease of viewing his select American Express business products and linked external business card and bank accounts in one location. Designed to make cash flow management more seamless and user-friendly, American Express Business Blueprint™5 offers a detailed snapshot of account balances across Business Cards, Business Checking, and Business Line of Credit. With this free online platform, business owners can link eligible external business cards and bank accounts to the dashboard for a more detailed picture of their cash flow, and access free personalized insights to help them make more informed cash flow management decisions.
“To see everything in one place online is fantastic,” says Panella. This integrated approach to cash flow management has made Business Blueprint an important backdrop to his business journey.
Enhancing guest experience with Resy
In addition to streamlined financial management, Panella relies on other innovative products from American Express to help enhance his customer relationships. Since adopting Resy6 in 2016, he has found the reservation and table management tool indispensable for managing reservations and enhancing the guest experience. “Resy revolutionized the reservation system,” Panella says. As one of the first to implement Resy in Charleston, Panella appreciates its user-friendly interface, which allows his team to manage bookings from their phones or iPads. The system’s flexibility allows Panella to accommodate VIP guests easily, making reservations or adjustments on the go. “It’s very user-friendly. And American Express has always been very responsive and supportive.”
Resy’s features extend beyond simple reservation management, however, offering valuable insights through its review system and guest notes. “It’s just an incredible tool,” Panella says, “the best on the market. I like how compact it is, and how many different things it helps us do.” Resy helps Chez Nous maintain high standards of service by recording guest preferences, allergies, and feedback, ensuring a personalized and consistent dining experience.
“I think it’s helpful that people can provide reviews,” he explains. “We’re allowed to see what happened at a table if things didn’t go well.” Panella says Resy has become a vital component of Chez Nous’ operations, contributing significantly to customer satisfaction.
A symbol of success
At Chez Nous, using American Express and Resy isn’t just about efficiency: it’s about belonging to an elite community of restaurateurs who prioritize excellence. This collaboration has empowered Panella to seamlessly integrate French tradition with physical renovation, helping his business run smoothly. “It’s been great working with Amex,” he says. “I really love the company.”
Story Footnotes
1 Individual Card application and approval required.
2 American Express® Business Line of Credit offers access to a commercial line of credit ranging from $2,000 to $250,000; however, you may be eligible for a larger line of credit based on our evaluation of your business. Each draw on the line of credit will result in either a separate installment loan or a single repayment loan. All loans are subject to credit approval and are secured by business assets. Every loan requires a personal guarantee. For single repayment loans, we charge a total loan fee that ranges from 0.95%-1.80% of the amount you borrow for 1-month loans, 1.90%-3.75% for 2-month loans, and 2.85%-6.05% for 3-month loans. Single repayment loans incur a loan fee at origination and the principal and total loan fee are due and payable at loan maturity. There are no required monthly repayments for a single repayment loan. Repaying a single repayment loan early will not reduce the loan fee we charge you. For installment loans, we charge a total loan fee that ranges from 3-9% of the amount you borrow for 6-month loans, 6-18% for 12-month loans, 9-27% for 18-month loans, and 12-18% for 24-month loans. Installment loans incur a portion of the total loan fee for each month you have an outstanding balance. If you repay the total of the principal of an installment loan early, you will not be required to pay loan fees that have not posted for subsequent months. For each loan that you take, you will see the applicable loan fee before you take the loan. Once you take the loan, the loan fees that apply to that loan do not change. We reserve the right to change the loan fees that we offer you for new loans at any time. American Express reserves the right to offer promotions to reduce or waive loan fees from time to time. Not all customers will be eligible for the lowest loan fee. Not all loan term lengths are available to all customers. Eligibility is based on creditworthiness and other factors. Not all industries are eligible for American Express® Business Line of Credit. Pricing and line of credit decisions are based on the overall financial profile of you and your business, including history with American Express and other financial institutions, credit history, and other factors. Lines of credit are subject to periodic review and may change or be suspended, accompanied with or without an account closure. Late fees may be assessed. Loans are issued by American Express National Bank.
Single repayment loans may become available to eligible new and existing Business Line of Credit customers at different times.
3 We are currently accepting applications from eligible U.S. businesses. Not all applicants will be approved for a Business Checking account. To learn more about Business Checking, including eligibility, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/checking/
4 Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.
The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.
5 American Express Business Blueprint™ is the small business digital experience that allows a customer to view on one digital dashboard summary account information for the following American Express small business products: American Express® Business Cards, American Express® Business Line of Credit, and American Express® Business Checking. The customer can also choose to link their third-party issued business bank accounts and business credit cards to Business Blueprint. Not all third party accounts or cards can be connected to Business Blueprint. Business Blueprint allows the customer to view data insights and track their business cash flow and expenses by viewing reports that American Express prepares using the customer’s linked account information. Business Blueprint provides a 30-day bank account balance projection, using the daily balances from the customer’s linked bank accounts from the last 90 days. To be used in the account balance projection, the customer’s bank account must have at least 90 days of data available. While the cash flow management service from Business Blueprint is currently free, each of the business products from
American Express that are visible in Business Blueprint has its own fees, eligibility criteria, application process and approval requirements. The Business Blueprint service (including any data insights provided to the customer) does not constitute legal, tax, financial or accounting advice, and is not a substitute for obtaining competent personalized advice from a licensed professional. You should seek professional advice before making any decision that could affect the financial health of your business. American Express makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the reports, projections, data or account information that are available to the customer from Business Blueprint.
6 Testimonials shared are those of a third party – not Resy – and should not be viewed as a substitute for a review of ratings and other information/data that informs restaurant and meal choices or selections.