Tim Ma's had a very big year. The engineer turned chef/owner, along with his wife, Joey Hernandez, saw accolades roll in for Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, Va. They also opened Water & Wall in Virginia Square. Now, he’s preparing to head to New York to cook at the James Beard House along with other Virginia chefs to highlight what Virginia agriculture had to offer.

We caught up with him during a gut-busting dinner at Maple Ave. “I’m able to have a little more fun here; that’s why you’ll find crazy dishes like bone marrow ice cream,” he tells us. “The food has to be a little more approachable at Water & Wall.” These steamed PEI mussels with saffron coconut broth, Thai chiles, lemongrass, and Chinese sausage were crave-worthy. What’s next for Tim Ma? “I have a few burners on the stove, but Water & Wall is still a baby; we’re there every day changing diapers.”