This Washington-based hunting, fishing, cooking powerhouse infuses the cuisine at his five establishments with varying degrees of his own Belgian heritage. The influence is subtle at Marcel’s, his elegant haute French flagship restaurant that regularly tops the best-of lists in the nation’s capital; Marcel’s was just rated the top restaurant for food in Zagat’s 2011 Washington DC/Baltimore Restaurant Survey, as well as one of the top five restaurants for service. Over at Brasserie Beck, on the other hand, Belgium is the bold-faced theme of this stylish casual hot spot modeled on a vintage Brussels train station. Here you’ll find a tempting array of mussel preparations and classic beef carbonade, along with extensive charcuterie and shellfish plates, and the area’s most comprehensive selection of Belgian beers -- including some brewed exclusively for Wiedmaier. His partnership with Kimpton Hotels gives him a significant presence across the Potomac in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia with Brabo, The Brabo Tasting Room, and a gourmet market called The Butcher’s Block, a Market by RW; the trifecta, handsomely designed by Vicente Wolf, is adjacent to the Lorien Hotel & Spa. Wiedmaier’s latest venture is Mussel Bar in Bethesda, Maryland, a contemporary evocation of the roadside dives outside Brussels that he used to haunt after hours with his fellow cooks. Besides the delectable selection of mussels, Mussel Bar offers a tempting array of flat-crusted savory Belgian tartes – a northern European cousin of the pizza. Robert Wiedmaier has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career, is a favorite of critics, and is frequently honored in the press. It was a surprise to no one when he was named “Chef of the Year” by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in 2009.