Signature Dish

Host Seth Tillman ventures to Poolesville, MD to sample the Liege-style chicken and waffles at Locals Farm Market. Chef Jason Smith explains the distinctive features of the Liege waffles, including the use of yeast and pearled sugar, which caramelize during cooking. Jason then delves into the chicken preparation which includes marinating for 24 hours in pickle juice.

This episode explores one of the most-requested cuisines from Signature Dish viewers: breakfast! At La Tejana in D.C.’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, Seth samples the 956 breakfast taco, before heading to Poolesville, Maryland to try Locals Farm Market’s famous chicken and waffles. The final stop is Any Day Now in D.C.’s Navy Yard for the scallion pancake breakfast sandwich.

Seth Tillman visits Any Day Now in DC's Navy Yard neighborhood to learn the secret behind their scallion pancake breakfast sandwich. As Chef Matt demonstrates, it starts with a pancake base of homemade hot water dough, which is stretched as thin as possible and layered with sesame oil and scallions. Light, fluffy eggs make up the filling of the sandwich along with bacon, sausage, or kimchi.

Seth Tillman visits La Tejana in DC's Mount Pleasant neighborhood for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the art of breakfast tacos. Co-founder Ana-Maria Jaramillo describes how they make the perfect flour tortilla, from crafting the masa to cooking it to perfection on the plancha. It's a labor of love and provides the ultimate pillowy and chewy base for La Tejana's popular 956 tacos.

Chef Kareem at Mr. Bake Sweets in Riverdale, Maryland shows Seth the secrets behind his sweet potato cupcake. First he complements the natural sweetness of the mashed sweet potatoes with a blend of brown sugar, white sugar and secret spices. Oil keeps the cupcakes moist when they are baked. Then Kareem tops them with a special cream cheese frosting and drizzled with salted caramel.

Seth Tillman takes a tour of a real life chocolate factory in Sterling, Virginia where Chef Santosh of The Conche makes the chocolate for his delectable desserts. Back at the restaurant in Leesburg, Santosh demonstrates how he puts together the Conche Chocolate Entremet, a rich cake and ice cream dessert built inside a gold dusted dome and then cracked open by lighting 151 proof rum on fire.

Seth visits neo-bistro Lutèce in Georgetown to sample their imaginative honeycomb semi-freddo. Made with shaved 18-month-aged comte cheese, the dessert is a fresh take on a classic French cheese plate. As Chef Isabel demonstrates, the dish starts with a homemade honeycomb cracker, which is broken apart and mixed into a cream dessert, half frozen, and topped with cheese shavings.

Seth skips the main course and dives right into dessert, with memorable visits to the neo-bistro Lutèce in Georgetown, the dessert shop Mr. Bake Sweets in Riverdale Park, Maryland, and The Conche in Leesburg, Virginia, where chocolate infuses everything on the menu - even the drinks

Host Seth Tillman heads to Imperfecto for a fusion of Mediterranean and Latin American flavors. Chef René González demonstrates the preparation of the Latin Kabkabou, a fish stew originating from Northern Tunisia. René begins by filleting a branzino. After aging for two days in a brine, the fish is pan-seared and served with a bottarga sauce, sweet plantain terrine and cilantro flowers.

Host Seth Tillman heads to Mama Tigre, a Mexican restaurant in Oakton, Virginia, to watch chef/owner Renu Prakash make the Tikka Masala Burrito, a unique fusion of Indian and Mexican flavors. Renu demonstrates how she combines Indian and Mexican spices to create a unique flavor while retaining the authentic taste of tikka masala.

The innovative world of fusion cuisine, where culinary traditions collide and create something new, is the heart of this episode. Seth stops by Imperfecto in D.C.’s West End and then crosses into Virginia to visit Mama Tigre in Oakton and Wooboi in Alexandria.

Seth Tillman visits Wooboi in Alexandria where Chef Michael demonstrates the meticulous process of preparing the Sando, a Japanese Nashville-inspired fried chicken sandwich. They discuss the different spice levels, with Michael introducing the options, including the infamous Carolina Reaper. Despite warnings, Seth bravely tries the Code Blue, and experiences its fiery intensity.