Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, chef Aaron Bludorn developed a passion for food and service early on. It led him to the Napa valley where he spent three years at Cyrus Restaurant working under Michelin-starred Chef Douglas Keene, who taught him about cooking with quality, integrity and finesse. When New York City began to beckon, Keene encouraged him to seek out Chef Daniel Boulud, stressing that his kitchens offered all of the foundations Bludorn was seeking: a culture of excellence, high-quality cuisine, opportunity for growth and mentorship. Bludorn arrived to Café Boulud in 2009 and was introduced to recently appointed Executive Chef Gavin Kaysen, who was in the midst of building a team of dynamic, young chefs.
Bludorn stepped into the Executive Chef position, following Kaysen's departure, in 2014. As a leader within Boulud’s empire, Bludorn was devoted to mentoring the next generation of culinary leaders and became deeply involved with the non-profit Careers Through Culinary Arts Programs (C-CAP) as a board member. In 2018, he competed on Netflix’s blockbuster culinary competition show The Final Table, and after more than a decade in New York City, he moved to Houston, TX to begin working on a solo restaurant project, which is set to open in summer 2020.
