Robert Wiedmaier

Robert Wiedmaier is a West German-born, Belgian American chef. He owns multiple restaurants in and around Washington, D.C. and is known for creating dishes involving Belgian cuisine, specifically mussels.

Robert Wiedmaier
Born (1960-03-02) 2 March 1960
Wiesbaden, West Germany (present-day Wiesbaden, Germany)
OccupationChef
SpousePolly Blum Wiedmaier
Children2

Personal life

Robert Wiedmaier was born in West Germany and lived there until he was about 15. He described his mother, who was born in California, as a "great cook" who focused on French cuisine.[1][2] He attended cooking school in the Netherlands,[1] and now resides in Kensington, Maryland.[3] He has been described as an "avid hunter" and fisherman and "full circle chef".[1][4]

Career

He began his career working at restaurants in Belgium and the Netherlands but relocated to the Washington metropolitan area in the 1980s.[1] Upon arriving in the D.C. area, he took his first job as a saucier at the Morrison House in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, at its restaurant, Le Chardon d’Or.[1][5] He then worked at various hotels, including the Four Seasons and the Watergate (replacing Jean-Louis Palladin). In 1999, he opened his first restaurant, Marcel's, and now operates a group of restaurants in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and Atlantic City. He has been invited to compete in the television program Iron Chef but declined, stating in 2012, "that's just not my thing. Not that I wouldn't do it, but I have five restaurants to run."[6]

In 2009, Wiedmaier was honored as Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (the RAMMY Awards).[7] In August 2012, Wiedmaier was inducted into The Knighthood of the Brewers' Mashstaff at the Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels.[8]

Marcel's

Marcel's, named for Wiedmaier's son, opened in 1999 in Washington, D.C.'s Foggy Bottom neighborhood with fine French-Belgian cuisine.[9] In 2015, Marcel's underwent a major renovation with new additions to the menu.[10] Diners at Marcel's can create their tasting menus with four, five, six or seven courses.

In 2016, Marcel's won the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMMY) Award for formal fine dining restaurant of the year.[11]

RW Restaurant Group

In 2007, Wiedmaier opened a second restaurant in D.C., Brasserie Beck. He opened his third restaurant in 2009, Brabo in Virginia. In the following years, he expanded to open several more restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, under the umbrella of the RW Restaurant Group.[12]

Brasserie Beck

In April 2007, he opened Brasserie Beck (named after his youngest son), his first major foray into mussels and Belgian beer. He described the restaurant as having a "1950s to 60s train station feel" and a focus on French cuisine with Flemish influences.[13] Esquire called Brasserie Beck one of the Best New Restaurants in America in 2007.[14]

Brasserie Beck boasts one of the largest selections of Belgian beers outside of Belgium.[15] This includes the house special Antigoon, which is brewed for Wiedmaier's restaurants by Belgium's Brouwerij de Musketiers.[16]

Brabo

In 2009, he partnered with Kimpton Hotels & Restaurantss to open Brabo at the Lorien Hotel and Spa in Alexandria, Virginia.[17]

Mussel Bar & Grille
Steak frites at Mussel Bar in Arlington, Virginia

In 2010, Wiedmaier opened a more casual restaurant, Mussel Bar & Grille in Bethesda, Maryland.[18] In 2012, he opened a second (now-closed) Mussel Bar & Grille in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[6] A Ballston, Virginia outpost of Mussel Bar & Grille opened in 2013.[19] Another Mussel Bar & Grille opened in Baltimore, Maryland in 2015.[20]

Wildwood Kitchen

In 2012, Wiedmaier tapped five of his longest-serving employees to become part-owners of Wildwood Kitchen in Bethesda, Maryland.[21] It is a smaller restaurant, at 2,000 square feet, seating 55 people.[22]

Villain & Saint

Villain & Saint is a gastropub and live music venue that opened in 2015 in Bethesda, Maryland.[23] Robert partnered with Brian McBride and Joe Lively to share their passion for the lifestyle of the freewheeling rock 'n' roll era. Celebrating various music and food, the restaurant offers a spread of tastes in music and food.

Lock 72 Kitchen & Bar

In 2015, Wiedmaier acquired a neighborhood American and seafood restaurant in Potomac, Maryland, the Tavern at River Falls.[24] In 2016, the restaurant changed its name to Lock 72 Kitchen & Bar.[25]

Siren by RW

In 2017, Wiedmaier opened Siren in the Darcy Hotel in Logan Circle, Washington, D.C.[26] The menu is focused on seafood, featuring a grand plateau of oysters, clams, prawns, lobster, and several styles of sashimi, and caviar service.[27]

Siren received a Michelin Star in the 2019 Michelin Guide for Washington, D.C.[28]

In February 2019, Siren closed, with the goal of reopening in a different location. As of January 2020, it has yet to reopen.[29]

References
  1. Limpert, Ann (18 April 2007). "Robert Wiedmaier on Cookbooks, Kitchen Disasters, and His New Brasserie". Best Bites. Washingtonian. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  2. Fleischman, Alexia. "Chef Robert Wiedmaier's hot new Belgian restaurant: Brabo". The Washington Times. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  3. Sugarman, Carole. "Robert Wiedmaier opening Mediterranean restaurant in Bethesda". Table Talk. Bethesda Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  4. Sidman, Jessica (November 2012). "Nose-to-Tail Population Control". Young & Hungry. Washington City Paper. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  5. Wright, Jordan. "Culinary Giant Robert Wiedmaier Brings his Foodheart to Old Town". Local Kicks. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  6. Cronick, Scott. "D.C.-area Chef Robert Wiedmaier to bring beer, music, and great food to new gastro pub in Revel". Life. Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  7. "Weidmaier Honored as Chef of the Year by D.C. Restaurant Association". The Washington Post. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  8. Mack, Patricia (31 August 2012). "Robert Wiedmaier – Chef, Beermaker, Knight". Gayot. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  9. Richman, Phyllis (27 June 1999). "Found and Lost". Washington Post Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  10. Sietsema, Tom (7 January 2015). "As delicious as ever, Marcel's buffs its shine". Washington Post Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  11. Spiegel, Anna (13 June 2016). "Here Are the Winners of Washington's 2016 RAMMY Awards". Washingtonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  12. Caplan, Evan (18 April 2018). "Chatting With Chefs: Robert Wiedmaier". The Georgetowner. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  13. Sietsema, Tom (24 June 2007). "Belgian Rhapsody". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  14. Mariani, John (10 October 2006). "Best New Restaurants – Brasserie Beck". Esquire. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  15. Kliman, Todd (24 September 2007). "Brasserie Beck". Washingtonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  16. Hahn, Fritz (20 July 2015). "Celebrate Belgian Independence Day with moules frites and half-price beer". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  17. Sietsema, Tom (4 March 2009). "Tom Sietsema Visits Brabo in Old Town Alexandria". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  18. Kliman, Todd (1 November 2010). "Mussel Bar: Robert Wiedmaier loosens up in Bethesda". Washingtonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  19. Nicholls, Walter (13 December 2013). "Restaurant Review: Mussel Bar". Arlington Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  20. Case, Wesley (3 April 2018). "Mussel Bar and Grille a fun fit in Harbor East". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  21. Bhattarai, Abha (25 November 2012). "Wiedmaier serves up shares of Bethesda restaurant Wildwood Kitchen". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  22. Frederick, Missy (19 November 2012). "10 Design Details About Wildwood Kitchen in Bethesda". Opening Report. Eater. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  23. Metcalf, Andrew (16 April 2015). "Villain & Saint Ready to Begin Rocking Bethesda". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  24. Metcalf, Andrew (23 February 2015). "Wiedmaier Taking over Tavern at River Falls in Potomac". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  25. Metcalf, Andrew (31 March 2016). "Small Bites: River Falls Tavern in Potomac Changing Name". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  26. Sietsema, Tom (12 May 2017). "At Siren, Robert Wiedmaier lures diners on a jazz-filled seafood journey". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  27. Spiegel, Anna (25 April 2017). "Take a Look Inside the Stunning Seafood Restaurant from Marcel's Chef Robert Wiedmaier". Washingtonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  28. Hansen, Drew (13 September 2018). "Michelin adds two new starred restaurants to its D.C. guide". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  29. "Michelin-Starred Siren is Moving Out of Its Hotel Digs in Search of a 'Better Location'". 14 January 2019.
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