Chef
Andrew Cleverdon
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Washington DC, Washington DC, United States
i. Biography
The Path
Andrew Cleverdon’s training at The Culinary Institute of America in 2001 set an early standard: structure first, repetition second, and execution over talk. That foundation carried into a run of kitchens where responsibility increased in measured steps, with each position adding another layer of control rather than a dramatic shift in direction. Chef at Columbia Room (2014–2015), Executive Chef at Siren by RW (2017–2019), and Executive Chef at Brasserie Beck by Robert Wiedmaier (2019) each mark a distinct stage in that progression. Since 2022, Blue Duck Tavern has been the current center of Andrew Cleverdon’s work in Washington, DC. The move reads as continuity more than reinvention: a cook trained for exacting rooms, now applying that discipline in a public-facing dining room where consistency matters as much as ambition.
The Work Today
At Blue Duck Tavern, Andrew Cleverdon serves as Chef de Cuisine in Washington, DC, and the role places technique in plain view. The menu language is direct, with ingredients named without excess and dishes presented in a way that lets the kitchen’s priorities show through: clarity, finish, and control. The Caviar Martini, noted in the restaurant’s coverage as a new fall cocktail, sits in that same register. It is a precise, polished piece of the offering, built for restraint rather than spectacle.
Signature
Andrew's signature dishes include Caviar Martini, Whole-Roast Rohan Duck, 18-Hour Braised Shortrib, Burnt Vanilla & Parsnip Scallops, and Blue Duck Apple Pie. Read together, they point to a kitchen comfortable with richness, but disciplined in how that richness is framed. The names are direct, the compositions are grounded, and the balance comes from control rather than ornament.
Acclaim
Cleverdon’s standing is built from the sequence of the work itself: The Culinary Institute of America, a culinary start in 2001, chef at Columbia Room, Executive Chef at Siren by RW, and then Chef de Cuisine at Blue Duck Tavern. It is a record of accumulation, not flash. The clearest attention now lands on the named dishes and drinks coming out of the kitchen: Whole-roast duck, long-braised shortrib, scallops with Burnt Vanilla and parsnip, a Caviar Martini, apple pie, and Murphy’s Rum Baba. Together, they describe a cook working in a register of substance, finish, and directness.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Andrew
What is Andrew Cleverdon's current role?
As of 2026, Andrew Cleverdon is Chef de Cuisine.
Where did Andrew Cleverdon train or study?
Andrew Cleverdon trained at The Culinary Institute of America.
