Craft House

Chef Blake Mellgren was born and raised in South Orange County. His love for cooking began at a young age. In middle school, while his friends talked about what they did during the weekend, Blake described the meals he'd prepared for his family. He began working in the restaurant business at age 16, starting as a host and busboy at Mangia Bene in Laguna Niguel. He later worked at Savannah Steak and Chop House. He began working in the kitchen at the famed Chez Melange in Redondo Beach in July 2010. By the end of his first day, he realized the restaurant industry was where he was meant to be. Under the tutelage of Chef Robert Bell, he quickly advanced. Over the 2 years spent in the Chez Melange kitchen—and following graduation from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing—he rapidly excelled in Kitchen Management. With the valuable training he received under Chef Bell, Blake moved to New York where he accepted a position as a line cook at The Modern, a restaurant inside of the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, and part of famed restauranteur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. Determined to make the most out of the experiences and knowledge gained in New York, he enrolled in the International Culinary Center and completed courses in Restaurant Management. These courses gave him deep insight into all aspects he would need to become a restauranteur.