Chef Brandwein was born and raised in Northern Virginia. She graduated from L’Academie de Cuisine in 2001, making a assionate career change from Capitol Hill to the kitchen. Natural talent and ability landed her with one of Washington’s established chefs, Roberto Donna. With Chef Donna as her mentor, Brandwein refined her skill and became Executive Cuisine for the famed Galileo, then helped Donna open his next restaurant, becoming Chef de Cuisine at Bebo Trattoria.
Brandwein jumped at the chance to execute her own culinary vision after being approached by The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, the new home for fyve. Chef Brandwein’s passion is cooking with local, seasonal ingredients and presenting them in unique ways. Her menu focuses on Mediterranean flavors and puts her Italian culinary background to use with a number of homemade pasta dishes made with precision. The straightforward but heavenly Fettuccine Al Burro is homemade pasta with butter, parmesan, and cracked pepper; and Pappardelle pairs homemade egg yolk pasta with a duck ragu, flecked with tender, shredded duck and parmesan cheese. Her creative take on Surf n Turf marries seared sea scallop and braised pork belly with a three-apple applesauce, a decadent beginning to any meal. The signature classic Amy’s Purse combines cod with a tomato cilantro broth and cumin, presented in an aromatic cellophane pouch that is opened tableside. For heartier dishes, a succulent Filet Mignon gets just the right accompaniments with caramelized figs and a gorgonzola cream. A full wine list representing classic bottles from around the world complements the cuisine, with a number of selections hailing from nearby Virginia wineries.