Brian McBride Leaves Blue Duck Tavern For Robert Wiedmaier's Empire

After more than two decades of working with the Park Hyatt, chef Brian McBride has called it quits. A rep tells Eater that the chef is moving over from Blue Duck Tavern to work instead with his long-time friend and restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier — and eventually open his own restaurant in a partnership with Wiedmaier. This is all part of an overall expansion that Wiedmaier (Marcel's, Brasserie Beck, Brabo and Mussel Bar) has been working on. In fact, Wiedmaier told Eater in a conversation a few weeks ago that he's planning yet another venture in Bethesda. That particular restaurant will not be McBride's restaurant, the rep says, but an entirely new thing. So that's at least two new restaurants that we can expect to see from the empire.

And now we'll have to see what's next for Blue Duck Tavern, which is losing a seriously loyal chef. McBride began working for the hotel back in 1987 — when its restaurant was still one that went by the name Melrose — and led the opening of Blue Duck Tavern in 2006. But McBride's departure is just the latest (and biggest) in a string of shakeups at Blue Duck, which has had a bit of a rough time of it lately. The restaurant is on its third chef de cuisine this year after Eric Fleischer — who arrived in March — left in May. John Melfi is currently in the gig and there's no word yet who will be taking over for McBride.

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