Chef, Owner Lay Blame on Each Other as Alejandro Najar Departs Blue Door Café

Alejandro Najar (left) and Roman Moretti Credit: Douglas Trattner

Just months after arriving at the Blue Door Café (1970 State Rd., 330-926-9774) in Cuyahoga Falls with great fanfare, chef Alejandro Najar has departed, making harsh claims about management on his way out the door.

Najar, a local chef who gained national repute from his recent success on “Hell’s Kitchen,” announced on social media his intention to seek other opportunities.

“I am unfortunately leaving The Blue Door for an opportunity that’ll be announced when the time is right!” he posted.

But things took a turn for the worse when, in a subsequent post, the departing chef made accusations against Bruno that set off a war of words.

“Decided to end my month and a half notice a little early due to Michael Bruno treating his staff unfairly and being difficult to work for. Kitchen life is not military life and the way he approaches his staff is so unprofessional and uncalled for.”

Compelled to respond, Bruno reached out to Scene.

“While I was originally prepared to leave it alone, Alex has chosen to make accusations about me that are untrue,” he explains. “Alex made accusations that I was a bad boss and that because of this, Blue Door’s attrition rate was higher than any restaurant within a 50-mile radius. This is just not true. Not only have I loyally, faithfully, and above all, successfully served this nation for 20 years – literally leading hundreds of US Marines, I have also guided the Blue Door to tremendous success. My current brunch chef has been my employee for seven years. My current sous chef has been with me for 10 years. Two of my senior line cooks have both been at Blue Door for 13 years and my FOH manager has been with me since we first started – beginning as a busser.”

Although Najar had told Bruno he would stay on until mid-August, he abruptly departed the night before Father’s Day, taking two other cooks with him.

“After Alex departed on Saturday, 17 June, we were forced to throw out over $1,000 in ingredients,” says Bruno.

Najar was brought in to establish a dinner service that was different from the highly successful breakfast, brunch and lunch business that has been Blue Door’s stock in trade since the beginning. In place of hearty, homespun breakfast and brunch platters, Najar rolled out a nightly menu filled with eclectic small plates. Some of those dishes – rabbit loin and leg served with offal cream, deboned lamb neck with fenugreek, scallops with tangerine and chicken skin – pushed the envelope of culinary creativity, Bruno claims.

“Dinner sales have steadily declined since we officially began service with Alex Najar,” Bruno says. “From when we started to approximately two weeks ago, dinner sales have dropped anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 per week.”

Naturally, something had to change. Bruno stepped in to offer guidance and institute changes. After a menu revamp, sales did begin to recover, states Bruno. That’s when Najar put in his notice and Bruno started his search for a replacement chef.

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