Episode 259 - Aaron Bludorn, Cherif Mbodji, & Jerrod Zifchak of Navy Blue

Today's podcast features the long awaited return of Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar! Eric and Rebecca dive into the latest news from the Houston restaurant and bar scene including Café Express' River Oaks location reopening after finishing up their upgrades, how excited we should be to have a chef like Jerrod ZIfchak coming to Houston, Top Chef alum Louis Maldonado being named executive chef at Andiron, and Rebecca catches listeners up on what she's got going on at Fluff Bake Bar. In the Restaurants of the Week portion Upside Pub and Kate Weiser Chocolate are featured. In the Guest of the Week section Eric is joined by Aaron Bludorn, Cherif Mbodji, and Jerrod Zifchak of Navy Blue. The guys speak with Eric about how they came together for the concept, what they've done in their respective careers beforehand, what they learned about Houston upon coming here, why they decided to go the seafood route with Navy Blue, why Rice Village felt like the right location, how they balance the workload with the structure of the team, developing the menu, Jerrod's tremendous seafood background that intersects with a legendary fish butcher, creating memorable moments for customers, what are the goals for Bludorn, and much more!    Follow Eric on Instagram and Twitter, plus check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: River Oaks Fast Casual Restaurant Staple Upgrades with New Look and Fresh Eats Bludorn Team Reveals Chef and Menu Details on Highly Anticipated New Rice Village Seafood Restaurant Talented Top Chef Veteran with Michelin Cred Heads Up Sizzling New Steakhouse on Allen Parkway Where to Eat in Houston Right Now: 8 Best New Patio Restaurants to Fall for this Month with Al Fresco Fare Longtime Houston Jewish Bagel Bakery Dishes on Its Major Kosher and Name Changes Dallas-Based Sports Bar Rolls Out 2 Houston-Area Locales with Wall-to-Wall TV's, Fire Pits, and Gameday Eats