Chef/owner of Blu and Next Door, Zod Arifai.

Self-taught culinarian Zod Arifai is the creative master of the menu for two standout Montclair eateries. The 46-year-old chef/owner has worked at Bouley and Aureole in New York and Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. The Albanian native brings his cultural cooking legacy to the table with techniques learned from his mother, “a really good cook,” and father, who worked as a chef in Italy and Switzerland.

A fearless recipe innovator, Arifai modifies dishes regularly and is a fan of unconventional sauces and emulsions to put a fresh spin on favorites. Dinner at Blu, which opened in 2005, is never boring. Signature dishes include duck breast with braised red cabbage and caramelized turnips with a red-wine and fig emulsion, and sesame-crusted salmon with black beans, scallions, peanuts, and sweet and sour glaze. Next Door, opened in 2007, is the more casual of the two restaurants and features innovative salads, sandwiches, and entrées such as meatloaf with chipotle sauce and Asian-style mahi.

Blu
554 Bloomfield Avenue, 973-509-2202
Next Door
556 Bloomfield Avenue, 973-744-3600, both in Montclair.