Signature Dish

Host Seth Tillman heads to Melina, a Greek restaurant in North Bethesda, Maryland where chef/partner Aris Tsekouras demonstrates how to make lamb kleftiko, a traditional Greek dish. Kleftiko means "thieves," as it was historically prepared by thieves who would cook lamb in the ground to avoid detection.

Host Seth Tillman heads to Cedars of Lebanon, a Lebanese restaurant in Greenbelt, Maryland to watch chef and co-owner Karim Kmaiha prepare a classic Lebanese eggplant dish called Fatteh Bethengien.

Host Seth Tillman heads to Green Almond Pantry, a Georgetown, DC where chef/owner Cagla Onal-Urel demonstrates how to make a unique seven-minute egg sandwich. The sandwich is made with jammy eggs, olive oil, and lemon juice, topped with a watermelon radish salad and anchovies. As Seth discovers, the sandwich is a hands-on, messy — and incredibly flavorful.

Seth dives into the rich culinary heritage of the Mediterranean. He first stops at Green Almond Pantry in Georgetown, then heads to Maryland for a stop at Cedars of Lebanon in Greenbelt and Melina in North Bethesda to explore the unique flavors from across the Mediterranean region.

We visit La Casina, an Italian pizzeria in DC's Capitol Hill neighborhood to sample some of DC's best pizza. Chefs and co-owners Angela Andellini and Fabrizio Costantini prepare the dough for their "Ottavo Colle" pizza — which they call "pinsa" in the Roman fashion — using a house-made starter. It results in a distinct crust, which is topped with potatoes, olive oil, and Lardo di Colonatta.

Seth Tillman heads to Martha Dear in DC's Mt. Pleasant neighborhood where chef and co-owner Demetri Mechelis showcases the creation of a mushroom, spinach, and halloumi pizza using naturally leavened dough. This delicious sourdough pizza is assembled with fontina cheese, house-made stracciatella, sautéed spinach, oyster, cremini, and portobello mushrooms, and halloumi cheese from Cyprus.

The star of this D.C.-focused episode is a universal favorite: pizza. From the unique Roman-style “pinsas” of La Casina in Capitol Hill to the Detroit-style delights of Shaw’s Motown Square, and the Greek-influenced creations at Martha Dear in Mount Pleasant, Seth explores the artistry behind the perfect pie.

Seth Tillman heads to Motown Square, a pizzeria in Washington, DC's Shaw neighborhood, to explore the creation of the tibs pizza, a fusion of Ethiopian and traditional flavors. The Detroit-style pizza is assembled with cheese, onions and tomato sauce but what sets it apart is a spicy Ethiopian tibs mixture with garlic, butter, onions, jalapeños, marinated beef, tomatoes and berbere spice.

Seth Tillman explores the process of making pozole verde at Cielo Rojo, a Mexican restaurant in Takoma Park. Chef David showcases the ingredients -- tomatillos, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, dry oregano, bay leaves, epazote, jalapeños, onions, roasted poblano peppers, serranos, and garlic -- which are blended together to create a vibrant salsa verde that is combined hominy, chicken, and chicken broth.

Host Seth Tillman and Jeremy Hoffman, chef and owner of Preserve restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland, join commercial fisherman Pete Springer to go fishing for invasive blue catfish on the Potomac River. Back at the Annapolis restaurant, Chef Jeremy prepares the catfish for fish and chips.

Host Seth Tillman visits Caruso's Grocery, an Italian restaurant in Southeast Washington, DC, to learn how to make their chicken parmesan and tomato sauce. The sauce starts with olive oil, garlic, onions, salt, and Italian seasoning, followed by California tomatoes. the chicken is pounded thin , coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, fried until golden brown, then layered with mozzarella.

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.