Eric Ziebold

Situated in the luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., CityZen and its executive chef, Eric Ziebold, have won an array of awards in the restaurant’s nascence. CityZen received the Five Diamond AAA Award in 2009 and 2008, while Ziebold won Food & Wine’s Best New Chef Award in 2005 and the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid Atlantic 2008.

Living and working in the nation’s capitol is a far cry from growing up in Iowa, but Ziebold loves city life. It’s his fondness for the energy of the city that brought him back to D.C. after living in laidback Napa Valley for a number of years.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, Ziebold worked at Vidalia in Washington, D.C. between 1994 and 1995 before heading to Los Angeles to become chef de partie at Spago. He joined Thomas Keller at the famed The French Laundry, quickly working his way up to chef de cuisine, and stayed for eight years. Ziebold said the experience in Napa truly influenced his career the most, but he missed city life. He returned to DC and opened CityZen in 2004.

CityZen features modern American cuisine, but it is Ziebold’s reinterpretation of classics that showcases his flair and particular style. Featured menu items have included grilled squab with confit cabbage and pork jowls with persimmon and crispy farro. Many of CityZen’s ingredients are locally sourced. Produce and meats such as rabbit, veal, lamb and goat come from Pennsylvania. The menu changes every six weeks to highlight seasonal ingredients.

Click the following link to read more about Chef Ziebold in this exclusive interview: Q&A with Eric Ziebold

Featured Recipes from Eric Ziebold

    Braised Shoat    |      Meyer Lemon Souffle    |    Shaved Sashimi of Geoduck Clam

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