DC RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION of Metropolitan DC DC RAMMY NOMINEES:

THE VOTES ARE IN! MARYLAND’S TOP CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS TO BE ANNOUNCED March 23--Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Annual Awards Gala Celebrates Industry’s Best and Brightest Stars of 2009

The votes have been tallied for Maryland’s Best New Restaurant, Favorite Bar and Tavern, Chef of the Year, among other awards and the winners will be announced to the public this Monday, March 23rd at the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Gala at Martin’s West in Baltimore. Each year the Association invites the dining public as well as hospitality professionals throughout the State of Maryland to vote for their favorite “Stars of the Industry” both online and by mail and then honors the winners at the annual awards ceremony.

The Annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Gala, a black tie celebration brings together 800 of hospitality’s finest and honors are the state’s most remarkable restaurant and foodservice delegates who represent the industry’s many successes. Guests enjoy a cocktail reception featuring Restaurant Association of Maryland member restaurants, entertainment, a live auction, fabulous Level 42 vodka ice bar and an unsurpassed fine dining experience prepared by exceptional industry chefs.

The Restaurant Association of Maryland announced that Steve F. de Castro received one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon individual members of the restaurant and hospitality industry in Maryland. De Castro, founder and CEO of Big Steaks Management in Pikesville, operator of 12 restaurants, clubs and banquet facilities throughout Maryland, North Carolina and New Jersey received the Otto E. Schellhase Award. Today, de Castro’s Big Steaks Management operates eight Ruth’s Chris Steak House locations across Maryland, New Jersey, and North Carolina, with a ninth location opening in North Carolina in late summer 2009. In Maryland, the company also operates Babalu Grill, Blue Sea Grill, The Crystal Room, and Havana Club – Baltimore City’s only indoor smoking venue.

De Castro was born near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and immigrated with his parents to the U.S. in the 1960s. At age 14, to help support this family, de Castro secured his first job as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his adopted hometown, New Orleans, Louisiana. Over the next 10 years, de Castro learned the restaurant business from the bottom up, gaining valuable experience and an intricate knowledge of what it takes to make a restaurant successful. Congratualtions, Steve!

2009 “Stars of the Industry” Nominees by Award Category:

Allied Member of the Year -(voted on by RAM members only)
Fred Lankford, Lankford Sysco Food Services
Mary Ellen Mason, HCAT, Anne Arundel Community College
Henry Pertman, MICROS
Brian Pfeifer, PAYCE
Mark Winters, US Refrigeration

Restaurateur of the Year -(voted on by RAM members only)
Dorothy and Richard Mollet, Antrim 1844
Jeff and Barbara Black, Black Restaurant Group
Leighton Moore, Seacrets Bar & Grill
Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf, The Charleston Group
Miguel Sanz, Tio Pepe Restaurante

Favorite Restaurant-Marlin Moon Grille, Ocean City
Antrim 1844, Taneytown
Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Bethesda
Charleston, Baltimore
Jordan’s Steakhouse, Ellicott City

Chef of the Year-Michael Gettier, Antrim 1844
Richie Regan, Monocacy Crossing
Michael Rork, Town Dock Restaurant
Bruce Wetterau, Granary Restaurant & Sassafras Grill
Cindy Wolf, The Charleston Group

Maryland Favorite New Restaurant
Catonsville Gourmet Market & Fine Foods, Catonsville
Mitchum’s Steakhouse, Trappe
Old Hickory Steakhouse, National Harbor
Volt, Frederick
Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore

Favorite Bar & Tavern-Fager’s Island, Ocean City
Anna Bell Lee Tavern, Baltimore
Nacho Mama’s, Baltimore
Red Star, Fells Point
The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille, Statewide

Wine & Beverage Program of the Year-Liquid Assets Wine & Martini Bar, Ocean City
Charleston, Baltimore
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Baltimore
Grapeseed American Bistro & Wine Bar, Baltimore
SoBo’s Wine Bistro, Salisbury

Favorite Caterer-Putting on the Ritz Catering, Savage
Ceresville Mansion, Frederick
Fork and Knife Catering, Rockville
The Oaks, St. Michael’s
Zeffert & Gold, Baltimore

Pastry Chef of the Year-Arismendy Infantale, Tio Pepe Restaurante--My co-table-diner, Downtown Diane says "the pinenut rolled paired with sangria is a party in your mouth"
Jaime Ayala, Ranazul
Susan Limb and Patrick Musel, Praline Bakery and Bistro
Joseph Poupon, Patisserie Poupon-Cheryl Schneider, Penny Chocolates & Gelato

AND NOW: the DC RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION of Metropolitan DC announces their Annual DC RAMMY NOMINEES:

Neighborhood Gathering Place-Belga Café, Washington DC; Cork ,Washington DC; EatBar, Arlington VA; The Liberty Tavern, Arlington VA; Marvin Washington DC

Upscale Casual-Bastille, Alexandria VA; Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Oyamel, Washington DC; Rasika, Washington DC; Zaytinya, Washington DC

Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene-CoCo. Sala, Washington DC; Marvin, Washington DC; Proof, Washington DC; The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington DC; Willow Creek Farm, Broadlands VA

Rising Culinary Star-Cedric Maupillier – Central Michel Richard, Washington DC; Daniel Giusti – 1789, Washington, DC; Mike Isabella – Zaytinya, Washington DC; Shannon Overmiller – Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Tony Chittum – Vermilion, Alexandria VA

New Restaurant-Adour, Washington DC; Art and Soul, Washington DC; CommonWealth, Washington DC; Cork, Washington DC; PassionFish, Reston VA

Pastry Chef-Josh Short – Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Ka