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Brandon Chamberlain heralds a new generation at Blu

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The Chamberlains knew change was in the air. After owning and operating the fine dining restaurant Blu on the shore of Lake Michigan in Glen Arbor for 16 years, Randy and Mari Chamberlain decided the time was right, and last spring they turned the business over to son Brandon. He was ready, though a bit surprised at the timing. “I thought they were going to be here longer,” Brandon says. A 20-year veteran of the restaurant industry, he had worked his way up from busing tables at age 16 to now taking over the flagship restaurant Randy and Mari had made into a local institution.

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Glen Lake Restaurant Week celebrates 10 years: founders Randy and Mari Chamberlain announce retirement from Blu

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Glen Lake Restaurant Week, which runs April 26-May 4 and offers diverse culinary options and special prices at restaurants throughout the Glen Arbor region, started with a simple idea proposed by Blu owners Randy and Mari Chamberlain more than a decade ago: why not hold an event in the spring that brings more commerce to the region during the off-season? “I raised my hand, suggested a restaurant week for Glen Arbor, and they nominated me as chairman,” said Randy. “It’s been a nice springboard for us every year. Now we’re nearly fully staffed from Restaurant week through October. It’s been fun to watch the success.” The Chamberlains recently announced their retirement from Blu, effective April 1, with son Brandon taking over as the new owner. Chef Todd M Thompson will manage the kitchen. Thompson and Randy have worked together since the 1990s. Blu reopened for the season on April 12.

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Essential workers, earthquakes, and a chef’s support

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Randy Chamberlain is well-known as an innovative chef. His experience at multiple restaurants around the region led to his establishing the fine dining experience, Blu, on the water in Glen Arbor. Running a successful restaurant requires a dedicated staff. Like virtually every other restaurant, the Chamberlains have scrambled to find enough workers. They eventually opted to hire foreign workers to make up for the shortfall, much like others before them in the hospitality industry. One of those workers, Süleyman Kanal, returned to his home in Turkey after working at both Boonedocks and Blu last summer, with plans to come back to work here this summer. But the massive earthquake that struck his home country in February changed everything. “His father is a furniture maker, and his shop was gone. Their home was gone. They had to dig through the rubble for mementos.” said Chamberlain, who began a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the Kanal family. Click here to read the story and for a link to the campaign.

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Guest workers a “life saver” for Glen Arbor’s summertime economy

“I can’t imagine a town like ours continuing without the heavy support system that these workers coming from other countries provide to allow our economy to thrive,” said Randy Chamberlain, the co-owner and chef at Blu. Glen Arbor’s fine dining establishment currently employs five workers who are visiting the United States on J-1 student visas. “They are unbelievably focused and dynamic workers. They’re up since 5 a.m., working different jobs around town. Their work ethic is very present,” said Chamberlain. “I don’t know what we’d be doing right now without these kids. They are a business saver.”

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Blu reopens dining room for first time in 13 months as Glen Lake Restaurant Week begins

Blu chef and co-owner Randy Chamberlain wrote on his Facebook page that he and Mari will reopen their dining room, at 50 percent capacity, on Friday, April 23, for the first time since COVID officially arrived in Michigan in March 2020. The opening date is timed to coincided with Glen Lake Restaurant Week, which runs April 23 until May 1.

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Eating & Drinking your way through Leelanau

Click the photo for a tasty list of area restaurants, grouped by town, including descriptions, photos, locations and contact information, and reviews.

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Glen Lake Restaurant Week marks fifth year

Don’t miss this fifth annual foodie event in Leelanau County from April 26-May 4. Glen Lake Restaurant Week offers an array of options, “from French Fries to French Cuisine,” boasting something for everyone with a variety of dining options around the greater Glen Arbor area.

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Lunch with the post-impressionists at Glen Arbor Art Association

The Glen Arbor Art Association (GAAA) celebrates Spring’s return with an art history talk exploring the Post-Impressionists on Thursday, May 11, at the Leelanau School, 1 Old Homestead Road, Glen Arbor. An optional Provençal-themed luncheon at blu restaurant is available.

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Glen Lake Restaurant Week profile: Randy Chamberlain, Blu

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In advance of Glen Lake Restaurant Week, May 1-9, we reached out to Blu chef Randy Chamberlain to ask what excites him about this culinary opportunity before the local tourism season kicks into gear.

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