Bluewater Kitchen Team

Michael Kozich

Marium Caternolo

Christina Kozich

Great service is everything - and its all about good people. Our team is made up of seasoned hospitality industry professionals. We all take pride in delivering attentive service and are knowledgable about the food and farms it comes from. Many members of our team have worked together for over 8 years or more which makes us a well-oiled group ensuring a seamless event experience.

Michael Kozich

Executive Chef

Michael Kozich is Bluewater Kitchen's Executive Chef & Owner. He started Bluewater Kitchen with his wife, Christina Kozich who had a similar vision prior to them meeting. His goal is to showcase the Shenandoah's bounty and be a direct link in the support of local farms. He has established a network of local green, sustainable farmers to provide a true "farm to your table" food experience.

Michael graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He has worked in multiple Michelin Star restaurants such as: Michel Richard's Citronelle in Washington, D.C., The Little Nell Hotel's Montagna in Aspen, CO and Mourad in San Francisco. He also served as the Executive Chef at an old local favorite, Hooked Seafood & Sushi, in Sterling, VA. and held the position as the Executive Chef at Whole Foods in Basalt, CO. Michael's variety of experience with food & cooking has deepened his passion for the culinary arts and fostered a deep support for the whole food movement.

Christina Kozich

Event Director

Christina is Bluewater Kitchen's Event Director and lead Event Coordinator. She will make sure your event is flawless and every detail is considered. She adores vintage vignettes, anything sparkly or gold and would dance all night long if she didn’t love sleep so much.

The passion for taking care of people runs deep and her support of the Good Food Movement began before meeting Michael. Since she was young, she has always organized events and parties, but solidified her love for Event Management at her first job out of college as the Town of Mammoth Lakes, CA Special Event Coordinator where she organized a Jazz Festival, 4th of July Celebrations and X-Game Pre-qualifying events. She continued to work in Marketing & PR, most recently for Salamander Hotels & Resorts at the Corporate Marketing Manager where design, branding and event management were the basis of her responsibilities. As Bluewater Kitchen has grown over the years she has decided to focus more attention on event coordination, styling and training the front of the house team.

“I absolutely adore what we are doing here at Bluewater Kitchen - where the client is our inspiration, and the details that go into the events we cater, plan and manage – no matter how big or small – are extremely important to all of us. There is really nothing like having the opportunity to contribute to people’s most cherished life moments and even walk away sometimes with new friends. And it’s fun! Who doesn’t love a great party - even if you're working it!”

Melissa Lively

Catering & Event Manager

Melissa Lively is Bluewater Kitchen’s Catering and Events Manager. Melissa is here to attend to all beginning steps, customer service, and scheduling of all your event planning dreams!

Melissa is a graduate of Business Management from The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and also Chef Michael’s little sister! She is a huge foodie who discovered the culinary world watching and learning from her big brother. She is an avid world traveler gaining knowledge and experiences of different cultures and cuisines being able to bring fresh ideas back to our team. Melissa is also a huge animal lover and would spend her days running around a field of fur babies everyday if she could!

Previously working as a buyer and planner in New York City for Michael Kors and then Diamonds International she realized that corporate America was not for her. She then followed her heart and became a manager at Red Farm, “a green market sustainable, Chinese influenced restaurant", located in the Upper West Side of New York City. Here she found that the love for culinary hospitality and event planning ran in the family! Melissa is attentive, punctual, and here to make sure every step of your event is planned and organized to make it memorable!