Meet the Team

Chef and next-generation restaurateur, Aaron Bludorn’s mission is to create meaningful experiences through food and hospitality. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Aaron was drawn to the kitchen at an early age during his first job working as a dishwasher and prep cook in a small diner on Bainbridge Island. Energized by the camaraderie demonstrated in restaurants, Aaron pursued a career in hospitality and began his journey at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park. His learnings at CIA led to a prosperous career working under the country’s most celebrated chefs including Michelin-starred Chef Douglas Keene and Daniel Boulud.

While working as Executive Chef in Manhattan’s Café Boulud, Aaron met his now-wife, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and was cast in Netflix’s blockbuster culinary competition show, ‘The Final Table.’ That same year, he was honored by Star Chefs when he earned New York City’s Rising Star Community Chef Award.

In 2019, the Bludorns moved to Houston and in 2020, they opened the eponymous restaurant, Bludorn. In the fall of 2022, Chef Aaron opened his second restaurant, seafood-inspired, Navy Blue, in the heart of Rice Village. In March of 2024, Chef Aaron opened his third restaurant, Bar Bludorn, in Hedwig Village. Currently he serves as Chef / Owner of Bludorn Hospitality.

Aaron has a devotion to his new city, where he supports many charities through special dinners and menu items. He and Victoria have 3 kids.

Cherif  moved to the United States from Senegal in late 2000, to pursue his education in Business Management at Western Michigan University. While attending college, Cherif worked in restaurants as a busboy where he quickly developed a passion for restaurant culture and refined service. Over the years, his passion led him to work at the nation’s most prestigious establishments across the country including Michael Mina and two Michelin-starred Bouley Restaurant.

Most recently, Cherif served as General Manager of Michelin-starred Café Boulud before working as Service Director at two Michelin Starred, Restaurant Daniel. When longtime partner, Chef Aaron Bludorn, asked Cherif to join him in opening Bludorn it was no question. Now, Cherif is the Director of Operations / Partner at Bludorn Hospitality.

Cherif moved to Houston with his wife and three children and blends his prior experience of fine dining with the warm Southern hospitality he has grown fond of in his new hometown.

Chef Michael Le is the Executive Chef for Hotel Saint Augustine and restaurant Perseid. He was born and raised in Houston, and grew up surrounded by food. His earliest memories are in the kitchen—cooking  Bún Bò Huế with his mom at home or helping his uncle with his food truck.

His career began in the restaurant industry at 16, as a dishwasher and busser at a local Vietnamese restaurant during in high school. He learned invaluable lessons, and was given an opportunity to start cooking there at age 18. From that moment on, he was in love with the craft.

Being Vietnamese and growing up in Houston greatly influenced his style of cooking. Though he never attended culinary school, he credits the many chefs he worked with over the years for shaping and guiding his expertise.

Outside the kitchen, he’s an outdoorsman. Hunting and fishing from a young age instilled a deeper appreciation of where our food comes from and to respect the journey from source to table.

John, a native Texan born in Austin, has dedicated over 24 years to the hospitality industry, embracing it as a lifelong career. With experience in every Front of House position—from busser to General Manager, and even a brief stint as a dishwasher—he has developed a deep understanding of restaurant operations. His true passion lies in cocktails, having spent 15 years honing his craft behind the bar, where he is known for having one of the best cocktail shakes in the business.

After joining the Bludorn Restaurant Group as a Bar Manager, John expanded his expertise, progressing into roles as Sommelier, Service Director, and ultimately General Manager of Navy Blue. Beyond the hospitality world, he is an avid supporter of the arts, particularly music. Before returning to the bar, he worked as a full-time DJ for several years. Today, his creative interests extend to photography, doodling, architecture, and design—elements that align perfectly with Bunkhouse’s aesthetic and vision.

Tom is a native Michigander, and while the bar business runs deep (his grandfather owned the cheekily-named Back Seat Saloon in suburban Detroit), Tom’s love affair with the craft of the cocktail didn’t begin until he moved to Boston in 2012.

Tom worked his way up from barbacking at a neighborhood pub to honing his craft at Yvonne’s, a downtown staple recognized as one of the country’s top high volume cocktail bars. Houston was the next destination in 2018, and Tom joined the celebrated team at Tongue-Cut Sparrow that summer. Cold martinis and warm service was the order of the day, and he rose to Lead Bartender in a year’s time.

After spending two years away from service in the beverage consulting world, Tom returned to the bar in August 2023 as Lead Bartender at Navy Blue, Chef Aaron Bludorn & Cherif Mbodji’s gulf seafood concept in Rice Village. He truly missed the joy of thoughtful hospitality, and considers the connections made over a cocktail the heartbeat of a thriving local community. Tom, a Montrose resident himself, is inspired by the vibrant diversity of the neighborhood and is honored to cultivate the city’s next great hotel bar.