The RAMMY Awards, known as the “Oscars of Washington DC area restaurants”, recognize and award excellence and achievement in the Washington DC Metropolitan restaurant industry. The first RAMMY Awards Gala, sponsored by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), was held in 1982 and was attended by several dozen restaurant industry players. Today, the event has grown to over 1600 attendees and serves as a benchmark of success and prestige for nominees and RAMMY award winners.

The 2013 RAMMY Gala: "Restaurants in Bloom" was held on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hote [1]l. The area's top restaurateurs, culinary talents and industry power players will come together at the annual RAMMY Gala donning their most fabulous hats, to honor everything from "Best New Restaurant," "Chef of the Year," "Hottest Bar Scene" and the new category of "Casual Restaurant of the Year."

Selecting the Nominees and Winners

The Rammy Award winners are selected by two separate panels of judges, the voting public and, for just one award - the Joan Hisaoka Associate Member of the Year - the RAMW Executive Committee. Any RAMW member is eligible for nomination as long as they meet the qualifications of any given category. The nominees are then reviewed by an anonymous panel of judges comprised of food/restaurant writers, educators and HR professionals who ultimately select the five finalists in each of the categories. The public votes for the winners in three categories: Neighborhood Gathering Place, Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene and Power Spot of the Year.

Fine Dining Restaurant  Blue Duck Tavern [2]

Upscale Casual Restaurant  Estadio [3]

New Restaurant  MINTWOOD Place [4]

Casual Restaurant  C.F. Folks Restaurant [5]

Chef  Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola [6]

Restaurateur  Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group [7]

Pastry Chef  Beverly Bates, Vidalia [8]

Rising Culinary Star  Scot Harlan, Green Pig Bistro [9]

Restaurant Manager

Michael Nevarez, Vidalia/Bistro Bis/Woodword Table

Restaurant Employee

Luis Noriega, Zengo [10]

Wine Program  Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier [11]

Beverage/Mixology Program  Room 11 [12]

Joan Hisaoka Associate Member  Marriott Wardman Park Hotel

Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award  Linda Lee

Honorary Milestone  Clyde's of Georgetown

Neighborhood Gathering Place  Nellie's Sports Bar [13]

Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene  Bar Pilar [14]

Power Spot  P.J. Clarke's [15]

Follow CITYPEEK Patti's on Social Media:

[16]

[17]Facebook: Click [18]

[19]Twitter: Click [20]

Instagram: Click [21]

Linked In [22]