Who We Are

Blue 44 serves New American, seasonal cuisine. Our neighborhood kitchen and bar was created with the belief that serving delicious, fresh farm food from the best ingredients – sourced locally, whenever possible – promotes a healthier and more sustainable community. Located in the heart of Chevy Chase, Blue 44 was inspired by friends and family with a goal of providing great food and a welcoming environment for residents, students, and children of all ages.

Christofer Nardelli – Owner & Operator

Born and raised in Pittsburgh , PA , Chris came to Washington , DC in 1995 to attend American University and achieve a degree in Journalism. During his time at American and after graduation, he worked at Café Olé in Tenleytown , DC as a server, bartender, and, manager. Chris’ many years of experience at Café Olé, his experience and fond memories working at his Godfather's restaurant in Pittsburgh when he was young, and his love of the restaurant and hospitality industry led Chris to open Blue 44 in April, 2011.

The Blue 44 name was inspired by Nardelli's roots, family, and the memory of a close friend. The Blue 44 team is managed by Patrick Moore, whom Chris met in college in 1996 and has remained close friends with ever since. When Chris decided to open his own restaurant, he asked his friend Pete Bakel to work with him and Chef James Turner to help develop an enticing and inviting menu. Chris’ mentor in the business, Ziad Maalouf, owner of the popular Café Olé, is currently a consultant to Blue 44 and plays an integral role in the operations of the restaurant.

Chris was recently married to Ximena Gamboa who has taken on an instrumental role in the success of Blue 44. Chris, Ximena, and the entire crew look forward to serving the area with distinction and having Blue 44 become an indispensable part of the community.

James Turner - Chef

Introduced through a mutual friend, Blue 44 owner Christofer Nardelli and Chef James Turner quickly bonded in their shared passion for food and love of the restaurant and bar business. Shortly thereafter, Chef Turner agreed to run the kitchen at Blue 44.

(Photo: Courtesy of Washington City Paper)

A native of Cambridge, MD, Chef Turner is a graduate of the Baltimore International Culinary College. His original inspiration to pursue a career in culinary arts came after winning a local vocational cooking contest. With the influence of his mother, grandmother, and aunts, along with local chefs Tracy O' Grady, Bob Kinkead, Jeff Black, and Damian Salvatore, Chef Turner describes his food as "simple with a slight twist."

After graduation from culinary school, Chef Turner worked at the historical Tidewater Inn in Easton, MD as a line cook and quickly moved up to first cook. From Tidewater Inn, he moved to St. Michael's Harbour Inn and Marina before moving across the Bay Bridge to the historical Treaty of Paris Restaurant in Annapolis, MD. At the Treaty, he worked his way up to Executive Sous Chef. After almost two years at the Treaty in Annapolis, Chef Turner moved to Massachusetts and worked as a line cook at the Boston Ritz Carlton, where he worked with several great chefs of many different nationalities. After two years at the Ritz developing this international flare, he moved back to Maryland to cook at the Washington Monarch Hotel in Washington, DC and gain experience in banquet cooking.

With this wide-ranging culinary experience in hand, he moved to Persimmon in Bethesda, MD, taking the reins as Sous Chef for 5 years. Working alongside chef owner Damian Salvatore, Chef Turner's experience and love for food came full circle. With Chef Turner’s help, the 2 star rated bistro (Washingtonian Magazine) earned 3 stars for three consecutive years, as well as a Blue Ribbon for best restaurant in the area. Most recently, Chef Turner honed his skills as Executive Chef at Harry Browne's in Annapolis, MD.

Pete Bakel – Food and Beverage Consultant

A neighborhood resident of Chevy Chase, DC, Pete lives with his wife Beth and two young sons, Bruno and Hugh. Pete met Chris Nardelli at Café Ole in 2006 and the two became fast friends.

A cooking enthusiast and avid hunter/angler, he won first place in the nationally televised contest "Hey, Can You Cook?!" in 2008 on the Emmy-award winning Rachael Ray show. Pete completed an intensive cooking course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and has worked as a menu consultant, caterer, and personal chef.

Pete's made multiple appearances on the Rachael Ray show, including his own cooking segment, and was one of 7 chefs selected to participate in the "Rach to the Rescue" series. He's been a guest on Fox 5 DC News "What's Cooking," and was featured in The Washington Times and The Washington Post's "The Reliable Source" with Roxanne Roberts.