2014 RAMMY Nominees Announced

Top industry professionals hungry for some recognition gathered at The Hamilton Tuesday night as the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced finalists for the 2014 RAMMY Awards.  In a city arguably unmatched for its industry growth foodie frenzy, the appetite for these awards is aggressive.

Finalists were announced in 20 of 21 categories, the winners of which will be announced at the black tie gala on Sunday, June 22.  New this year are seven award categories (denoted by ***) to celebrate brunches, service programs, mixology and other definitive aspects of the greater Washington’s restaurant and foodservice industry.

(Remember that the voting public will decide the winners in four categories: Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Upscale Brunch, Everyday Casual Brunch and Favorite Fast Bites. Cast your vote online from March 27 – April 27.)

The finalists for the 2014 RAMMY Awards are below in alphabetical order.  How many of these eateries have you experienced?  And which do you think is the most important category??

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year:

•  Fiola
• Marcel’s
• Minibar
• The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
• Trummer’s on Main

Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year:

• Et Voila!
• Maple Ave Restaurant
• Oyamel
• Proof
• Ripple

Everyday Casual Restaurant of the Year:

• Graffiato
• Hank’s Oyster Bar – Dupont
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
• Pizzeria Orso
• Toki Underground

New Restaurant of the Year:

• Del Campo
• Doi Moi
• Le Diplomate
• The Red Hen
• Table

Chef of the Year:

• Victor Albisu – Del Campo
• Cathal Armstrong – Eat Good Food Group
• Haidar Karoum – Doi Moi, Estadio, Proof
• Tarver King – The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
• Cedric Maupillier – Mintwood Place

Rising Culinary Star of the Year:

• Eric Bruner-Yang, Toki Underground
• Michael Friedman, The Red Hen
• Tim Ma, Maple Ave Restaurant/Water & Wall
• Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Ripple
• Johnny Spero, Minibar

Pastry Chef of the Year:

• Caitlin Dysart, 2941 Restaurant
• Naomi Gallego, Blue Duck Tavern
• Jason Gehring – MENU / MBK, Table
• Santosh Tiptur, Co Co. Sala
• Tom Wellings, Fiola

Wine Program of the Year:

• 2941 Restaurant
• The Curious Grape
• Estadio
• Restaurant Eve
• Ripple

Cocktail Program of the Year***:

• Black Jack
• Bourbon Steak
• The Gibson
• Hanks Oyster Bar – Capitol Hill
• Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Beer Program of the Year***:

• Birch and Barley / ChurchKey
• Brasserie Beck
• Granville Moore’s
• Lyon Hall
• Mad Fox Brewing Company

Service Program of the Year***:

• BLT Steak
• Blue Duck Tavern
• The Bombay Club
• Marcel’s
• Rasika

Restaurateur of the Year:

• José Andrés and Rob Wilder – ThinkFoodGroup
• Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong – Eat Good Food Group
• Michael Babin – Neighborhood Restaurant Group
• Gus DiMillo, David Wizenberg, Jeff Tunks – Passion Food Hospitality
• Mark Kuller – Doi Moi, Estadio, Proof

Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year***:

• Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
• DC Brau Brewing Company
• Port City Brewing Company
• Rappahannock Oyster Co.
• Red Apron Butcher

Favorite Gathering Place of the Year:

• Bar Pilar
• Bistrot Du Coin
• Cashion’s Eat Place
• Hank’s Oyster Bar – Dupont
• Tune Inn

Upscale Brunch***:

• Art and Soul
• Blue Duck Tavern
• Mintwood Place
• The Source by Wolfgang Puck
• Vermilion

Everyday Casual Brunch***:

• DGS Delicatessen
• Et Voila!
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
• Pizzeria Orso
• Ted’s Bulletin – Barracks Row

Favorite Fast Bites***:

• Amsterdam Falafelshop
• Bayou Bakery
• Buzz Bakery
• Red Apron Butcher
• Woodward TakeOut Food

Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: 

• Acme Paper and Supply Company
• EagleBank
• Profish Ltd.
• Republic National Distributing Company
• SYSCO Food Service of Baltimore

Employee of the Year:

• Stelios Alexandris – 1789 Restaurant
• Eric “Soup” Campbell – The Hamilton
• Molly Horn – Farmers Fisher Bakers
• Pablo Lemus – Bourbon Steak
• Sandra Sanchez – Acadiana

Manager of the Year:

• Jorge Figueredo – Jaleo DC
• Kendra Graves – Farmers Fisher Bakers
• Robert Hall – Newton’s Table
• Boo Young Kim – District Commons
• Tyes Zolman – Pearl Dive Oyster Palace & Black Jack

*All images credit Michael Woestehoff, The Ellsworth Agency