bludorn houston

We're delighted to share the third in a series of live discussions on the subject of Mentorship in the restaurant industry. The series is brought to you by our promotional partner S.Pellegrino, and each one is moderated by Andrew, staged in a different city, and builds on the one(s) that precede(s) it. This episode was recorded LIVE before an audience of Houston line cooks at an On the Line dinner at Bludorn restaurant and features Bludorn's chef-owner Aaron Bludorn, Rebecca Masson (owner and head baker of Fluff Bake Bar), Jerrod Zifchak (chef de cuisine of Navy Blue), and Jared Adams (baker at Fluff Bake Bar).

(Be sure to also listen to the other episode in this series, which are conveniently gathered in an archive on our website.)

Andrew’s NEW book The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food is now ON SALE! Read the book Publishers Weekly calls "masterful."

Since 2019, Andrew Talks to Chefs has been a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related news.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!

In 2019, Aaron Bludorn left a prime gig as chef of Cafe Boulud in New York City to move to Houston, Texas, and open his first restaurant as chef-proprietor, Bludorn. Aaron recently called in to talk to Andrew about his Seattle childhood, teenage years as member of a rock band with professional aspirations, his shift to the kitchen, years under the auspices of Daniel Boulud, and what it's been like to open a new restaurant in the midst of a pandemic. (Many listeners might also know Aaron as one of the more successful competitors on the Netflix series The Final Table, on which he made the final four.)

We'd also like to be among the first to welcome Gregory Christopher Bludorn into the world. Aaron and his wife Victoria welcomed Gregory just the other day and we are thrilled for them.

Please consider supporting Andrew Talks to Chefs via our Patreon page–pledge $10 or more per month and gain access to bonus, patron-only episodes, blog posts, polls, and more. 

Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information.

(photo of Andrew & Aaron copyright by Eric Vitale Photography)

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.

We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. 

Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.

For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.

Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!