"SIGNATURE DISH" PREMIERES MARCH 28 ON WETA PBS AND WETA METRO

New Local Production Finds and Showcases the Standout Dishes from Restaurants Throughout the Washington Metro Area

WASHINGTON, D.C. — February 17, 2022 — Whether it be Wagyu beef barbeque, fish head curry, or a chateaubriand platter for two, there are some dishes that local chefs and restauranteurs have created that truly rise above the rest. Discover these iconic dishes on the new locally produced WETA series, Signature Dish, premiering March 28, 2022, at 9:30 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8:30 p.m. on WETA Metro. The series will continue April 11 through May 9, Mondays at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro, with six more episodes premiering in Fall 2022. The series will also be available to stream free on the PBS Video App.

Signature Dish discovers and reveals the standout dishes at a wide array of the region’s best restaurants, from the latest dining hot spots to strip-mall eateries serving up authentic global cuisines. In this new 12-part series, host Seth Tillman takes viewers on a culinary journey around the D.C. area, one “must-have” dish at a time.

“Our region has become one of the top food metro areas in the country. But with so much to choose from, we wanted to create a series that spotlights those dishes we think everyone will want to try,” said Miguel Monteverde, senior vice president and general manager, WETA Greater Washington. “Our host, Seth Tillman, uses his knowledge as a D.C. area native with a passion for great food to discover those hidden gems and tell the story of the people behind them. We are proud to add Signature Dish to our lineup of locally produced programs that highlight the people and culture of the DMV.”

In each episode of Signature Dish, Tillman visits three restaurants where viewers meet the proprietors and chefs to learn about their signature dishes. Viewers will also hear the origin stories of the dishes, from immigrant traditions to beloved family recipes.

Tillman is a producer at WETA who previously worked on two local restaurant shows and several documentaries about the history of the D.C. region. He combines a keen interest in the people who make local communities thrive with a gourmand's appreciation for the area's diverse culinary offerings. 

Signature Dish premieres March 28 with “Cooking with Fire.” The episode puts the world’s oldest culinary technique of cooking over an open flame on vivid display. Tillman meets three masters of fire who char, roast and smoke their way to unforgettable eats. The signature dishes are Wagyu beef brisket at 2Fifty Texas BBQ in Riverdale Park, MD; “The Hot Mess” white pizza at Frankly…Pizza! in Kensington, MD; and an iconic spiced lamb shoulder at Maydan in Northwest D.C. 

Episodes of Signature Dish will air Mondays on WETA PBS and WETA Metro.

Episode 1: Cooking with Fire

Monday, March 28, 9:30 pm on WETA PBS and 8:30 p.m. on WETA Metro, following the season finale of WETA production If You Lived Here.  

Episode 2: Southeast Asian Specialties

Monday, April 11, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro

Episode 3: Caribbean Favorites

Monday, April 18, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro  

Episode 4: Masters of Spice

Monday, April 25, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro

Episode 5: West African Cuisine

Monday, May 2, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro

Episode 6: European Comfort Food

Monday, May 9, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro

Six more episodes will premiere in Fall 2022.

Following its broadcast premiere, each episode will be available to stream on the PBS Video App and at weta.org.

For more information, visit weta.org/signaturedish.

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About WETA

WETA is the leading public media station in the nation’s capital, serving Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. WETA’s content educates and inspires on five television channels – WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA Metro, WETA World and WETA PBS Kids – on weta.org, and on WETA Classical 90.9 FM and classicalweta.org. Local programming and digital content created by WETA includes WETA Arts, If You Lived Here, When Music Makes History and Looking for the Helpers. WETA is also the second- largest-producing station for the PBS system, with news and public affairs programs including PBS NewsHour and Washington Week; films by production partners Ken Burns and Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; and performance specials from venues such as the U.S. Capitol and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The station also creates leading public service websites and develops community outreach programs to engage people of all ages in the joy of lifelong learning. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and chief executive officer. More information on WETA programs and services is available at weta.org. Visit facebook.com/wetatvfm or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.