From the Stove to the Table, in One Pot

Chef Robert Wiedmaier on the Today Show

Chef Robert Wiedmaier made his first appearance on NBC’s Today Show on Monday, March 9, 2011, to demonstrate flavorful yet simple preparations of mussels – cooked and served in one pot!  His cooking segment aired during the program’s fourth hour (10-11 AM ET).  Wiedmaier is the Chef-Owner of acclaimed Washington DC restaurants Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck, as well as Brabo and The Tasting Room in Alexandria, Virginia, and Mussel Bar in Bethesda, Maryland.

The cuisine at each of his five dining establishments is infused, to varying degrees, with his Belgian heritage.  His newest restaurant, Mussel Bar, is a tribute to traditional Brasserie-style, casual Belgian dining.  Among other dishes, Mussel Bar offers eight different preparations of mussels.

Mussels are customary fare in Belgian homes.  The traditional Belgian style of preparation involves cooking them in a sauce of butter and white wine and serving them with fresh herbs and vegetables.  In addition to being an easy one pot dish, mussels are very adaptable, taking on different flavors depending on the ingredients you toss in the pot to cook with them.  Popular throughout Europe and in New Zealand, the popularity of mussels is increasing in the US; indeed, mussels secured a spot on Food & Wine magazine’s list of trends for 2011.

Chef Wiedmaier has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career, is a favorite of critics, and is frequently honored in the press.  He was named Chef of the Year for 2009 by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and his flagship restaurant, Marcel’s, was rated the top restaurant for food in Zagat’s 2011 Washington DC/Baltimore Restaurant Survey.