 |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
IN THE KITCHEN
"Oh, we'll fight about the flavor, the saucing... 'Do we really need tomatoes here?' But we play with it -it's cooking! And we compliment and balance each other. He's young, excited and committed. It's a great collaboration!" Debi Bell-Matassa, Director of Food and Beverage at George's in Mt. Vernon's Peabody Court Hotel, sings the praises of her Chef de Cuisine, Timothy Dyson. "I've rather backed myself out of the kitchen and I can do that because of the confidence I have in Tim." Debi explains. And that says a lot! Debi is clearly a woman who sets very high standards for herself and for everyone she works with. Debi grew up in Kingsville, in northern Baltimore County, and first entered the world of restaurants as a performer, playing guitar at the old Country Fair Inn. She went on to serious studies in the culinary and wine fields, entering the Culinary Institute of America's Wine Studies Program at their Napa Valley campus. (She can tell some fearsome stories of wrestling out the rattlesnakes that seek shelter from California's summer heat by curling up in the grapevines!) She did a wine makers' internship at Schramsberg Vineyards, making champagne with the Davies family and she received her Sommelier's Certificate from the Society of Wine Educators. Debi's knowledge of wines is deep and precise and she can twirl your head talking about the DNA of grape varietals, proper grafting and blending. No less is her devotion to good food and it's preparation. She met her future husband, Michael Matassa, working at the Baltimore Hyatt Regency. "I just fell in love with his cooking, I fell in love with his passion." Together they traveled, often working with the Hyatt chain. "The Grand Caymans, Hawaii, Mexico, St. Johns... We'd search out native foods wherever we went -like going up to Walkerswood in Jamaica to get their traditional blackening spices. We're just a real 'Foodie' couple," Debi laughs.
But it wasn't all islands in the sun during those early years of Debi's career. Working for a high-end event management company, she handled the menu planning and staging of a long list of super high-powered affairs. She's got a number of events at the Library of Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and even one of Bill Clinton's Inaugural Balls notched on her professional belt!
In 1999 Debi and Michael struck off independently and opened the Fusion Grille here in the Baltimore area. It was the culmination of their combined years of experience, their shared dreams and their individual aspirations. For seven years the Fusion Grille was successful and popular, earning them a wealth of accolades for their efforts. But in 2001 Debi was suddenly stricken with a cancer diagnosis and within six weeks they were forced to close the business and focus all their energy and efforts on coping with her treatments and recovery. Now that gal who wrangled rattlesnakes in Napa Valley gave the same ferocity to challenging her cancer diagnosis. "I think the most painful thing was completely losing my sense of taste and smell there for a while. For me, in my career, with my love of foods and wines, there simply could be no more devastating loss!" Today, Debi is bright and vibrant -right down to the ends of her luxurious mane of honey-brown hair, all it re-grown after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Her palate is as fine-tuned as it ever was and she's brimming with excitement for the future, "We've made major changes here at George's, and Sunburst, the parent corporation, has been pleased and supportive. We're happy to be becoming a real part of the beautiful Mount Vernon neighborhood -a place where you can come for a good meal after the play or the concert, a place where you can enjoy a lovely Sunday brunch outside on the Square." Debi and Tim have been building a solid new team in the kitchen and a new season's menu is in the works. Debi plans a series of wine specials, "15 for Under $15," featuring good, newly discovered wines at an astounding price. "We've done our homework here -tasting all kinds of new wines, and there are some fabulous offerings out there now. The wine world is changing and a 'big name label' just isn't important anymore. I'm happy to share my discoveries with my guests," Debi proclaims -and knowing her passion for a good wine, I'd say that's something to get excited about! George's on Mount Vernon Square 101 W. Monument Street Breakfast, lunch & dinner 6:30 am-10 pm Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm. 410.727.1314 www.PeabodyCourtHotel.com |
