The Blue Room was given life by Chris Schlesinger, Carrie Wheaton and Stan Frankenthaler in 1991 as a “world grill.” It was the now famous Chris Schleslinger’s second restaurant. It had to live up to “second” standards by which it had to be greater and grander than the first, and the first being The East Coast Grill. The Blue Room had a most impressive kitchen with a wood burning grill, rotisserie spit, a wok station, a Blodgett (Sean’s bake oven) a front line and a back line consisting of three ovens and eighteen burners. The opening party had the likes of George and Joanne from Al Forno, Jasper White from Jasper’s and an endless list of Boston gourmet dignitaries. The Blue Room was christened with a great name too—it had meaning and feeling. Stan named it after a jazz standard from the play The Girlfriend. The Blue Room is a collector—it is a simple, yet serious meaning—it’s a place to leave your “blues” behind.
Aforementioned “mother hen,” Nick Zappia, enters the scene six weeks earlier to be the GM of The East Coast Grill, but by the first anniversary of The Blue Room he is asked to oversee both The Grill and The Blue Room. Even though The Blue Room boasted such great talent to grace its kitchen such as Bridget Batson the Chef at Hawthorne Lane, Tony Maws the Chef/Owner of Craigie on Main and Bob Sargent the Chef/Owner of Flora, it struggled (perhaps the fish murals on the wall?). Chris, Carrie and Nick worked diligently to make it more interesting—more events, more cooking classes, more, more, more…
Hence, it’s second incarnation: In 1996, Nick and Chef Steve Johnson bought The Blue Room from Chris and Carrie. They decided to keep the name, but change the concept (get the fish off the walls!). Instead of super casual “world” grill it became bistro chic with mostly Mediterranean low country fare. Steve and his Sous Chef Jorge Lopes brought a little Hamersley’s to the table as they were both students of Gordon Hamersley. The wine list was tuned up, the rotisserie came out, the wok was removed and the wood grill exalted. A new oven and a few more burners and The Blue Room was born again.
It was welcomed by starving Cantabrigians who had to cross the bridge to find this sort of local minded, farm driven sort of seasonal cooking and it was off to a great start. After all these years, it is more like a Blue Chip stock, The Blue Room has grown reliable in its subtle sedateness.
Speaking of starving Cantabrigians a story that must make our history:
One evening after seeing a movie and leaving her famous voice on our reservation line requesting a table for two Julia Child made her way into the dining room for dinner. She made her way here often, much to our delight. As always she enjoyed herself and as she did every time she made her way to the kitchen to thank all the cooks. And as she left she turned to tell Nick “I love The Blue Room because it smells like a restaurant.”
That’s pretty awesome, huh?
Now, 14 years later after parking in the same spot, using the same set of restaurant keys, walking down the same set of stairs, stealing the same coconut macaroons from Sean in the kitchen and making a meal out of flatbread Nick and his wife, Liz, own The Blue Room. They recently opened Central Bottle Wine + Provisions in Central Square too just so The Blue Room wouldn't feel lonely. Steve moved on to open his own restaurant and Jorge has been the Executive Chef for six years now. The concept is still the same, only better. Like a fine wine…no, no, no, hard work and perseverance is how it works. We hope to see you soon…