Aaron Bludorn on Protecting Margin Without Compromising Hospitality

Aaron Bludorn is a Houston-based chef and restaurateur behind Bludorn, Navy Blue, Bar Bludorn, and Perseid at Hotel Saint Augustine. After training under chefs Douglas Keane and Daniel Boulud and leading Café Boulud in Manhattan, Bludorn relocated to Texas in 2020 and has since built a multi-concept group grounded in discipline, transparency, and team development. In this episode, he breaks down how to protect margin without compromising hospitality, why menu engineering should drive design decisions from the start, and why sustainable leadership begins with letting go of ego and building systems that support long-term growth.TakeawaysYou cannot raise prices at the same pace costs are risingEfficiency must improve before guests feel the pinchCut tedious labor, not flavor or hospitalityStart every new restaurant with the food and work backwardDesign decisions should support sales, not inflate egoMenu engineering protects both margin and identityUse ingredients across dishes to maximize labor efficiency and product usageBuy everyday items in bulk to protect cash flowConsolidate vendors to strengthen purchasing powerTransparency around labor and food cost creates stronger managersReal-time reporting prevents end-of-month surprisesPay slightly above the industry standard to retain strong teamsPush leaders to take two days off in a rowRetention improves when managers treat the restaurant like ownersScaling too quickly at the corporate level can strain the groupDelegation requires trust, clarity, and letting goWant to connect directly with industry thought leaders like today’s guest?MAJC✨ has built a community of hospitality professionals, where insights and tools help drive sustainable, profitable businesses. To get early access to the MAJC✨ community, sign up at www.MAJC.ai.