Okay, so some of us may be out of the country and sadly we missed all the action when the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington announced the finalists for the 2024 RAMMY Awards. Truly one of our favorite events, cause it is always such a great party. What a way to celebrate all the nominees, right?  But, let’s be clear,  it is just a primer for the big show, the 42nd Annual RAMMYS Awards Gala on July 21st. And the nominees are:  New Restaurant of the Year: A restaurant that must have opened between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Dear SushiEllie BirdHirayaI Egg YouPetite Cerise Cocktail Program of the Year:AmazoniaBar SperoJane JaneMercy MeSilver Lyan Beer Program of the Year:Atlas Brew WorksRed Bear Brewing Co.TallBoyThe Midland’s Beer GardenZinnia Wine Program of the Year:ApéroERAIrregardlessLulu's Wine GardenSt. Anselm Rising Culinary Star of the Year:Jennifer Castaneda-Jones, Marcel's by Robert WiedmaierRia Montes, EstuaryMasako Morishito, Perry'sMatt Sperber, Any Day NowJovana Urriola, Café Unido Employee of the Year:Michael Wyatt, Annabelle RestaurantKodjo "Olivier" Etenda, LutèceHilda Claro Duran, Residents Café and BarKristen Wilson, CausaJonathan Aseff, Shilling Canning Company Manager of the Year:Janice McLean, Estuary at the Conrad HotelsRachid Hdouche, ilili DCUros Jojic, Ambar Capitol HillAngel Guillen, El CieloVictoria Gradia, KNEAD Hospitality + Design Service Program of the Year:FilomenaJoe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone CrabLe DiplomateReveler's HourXiquet by Danny Lledó Casual Restaurant of the Year:Kirby ClubLa FamosaStellina PizzeriaSupraTaco Bamba Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year:AnjuChez Billy SudLutèceQueen's EnglishShilling Canning Company Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year:Susan Bae, Moon RabbitGregory Baumgartner, CranesRochelle Cooper, Eastern Point CollectiveIsabel Coss, Lutèce, PascualMary Mendoza, (formerly) Bantam King, Hole in the Wall, Tonari Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year:Blue RockCausa/AmazoniaOyster OysterRaniaThe Dabney Chef of the Year:Angel Barreto, AnjuCarlos Delgado, Causa/AmazoniaJeremiah Langhorne, The DabneyKatarina Petonito, Eastern Point CollectiveJon Sybert, Tail Up Goat Restaurateur of the Year:José Andrés, José Andrés RestaurantsKyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder, Long Shot HospitalityAndrew Dana and Daniela Moreira, Timber Pizza, Call Your Mother, Turu's, Mercy MeEnrique Limardo and Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger, Seven Reasons GroupZubair, Omar, Fatima, and Shamim Popal, The Popal Group Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year:  EcolabCarlos Rosario International Public Charter SchoolHarmony Group, Inc.Keany Produce & GourmetPreferred Insurance Services, Inc. *Favorite Gathering Place*: (Public Votes)Brookland's FinestGlory Days GrillLulu's WinegardenMillie'sMi Vida *Best Brunch*: (Public Votes)alaDuke's CounterMakanSeasons at the Four SeasonsThe Park at 14th *Best Bar*: (Public Votes)Bar ChinoisResidents Café and BarThe Green ZoneRoyal Sands Social ClubSlash Run *Favorite Fast Bites*: (Public Votes)Andy's PizzaArepa ZoneBantam KingFava PotHi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ *Hottest Sandwich Spot*: (Public Votes)Colada ShopLucky BunsQueen Mother'sRoaming RoosterYour Only Friend So, here’s how the finalists (and the winners) are picked: Two groups are involved, the voting public (you) and an anonymous panel of volunteer judges (primarily food and dining journalists, educators, and foodservice industry professionals). Now, you the voting public will decide the winners in five categories all listed above. You can vote now through 5pm on May 31st here. (nbcwashington.com/RAMMYS)  The deets again, the winners will be announced at The 42nd Annual RAMMY Awards Gala on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Tickets are now on sale at TheRAMMYS.org. Be there or Be Square. 

Read Brianna Crane & Sami Sparber's interview with Nycci, and get all the deets on hosting trends in 2024~Find out more here. Photo: A tablescape by North Carolina-based dinner party wares rental company Canary. Photo: Emily Bennett, courtesy of Beth Nash 

St Patrick's Day is here, and there are so many ways to celebrate! Listen in to Nycci's suggestions, pt 3:

Thanks for joining us again on Industry Night with me — Nycci Nellis. It is patio season in DC and I am so so excited because this month’s show is being taped at Tony & Joe’s right down on the water in Georgetown. If you live in the DMV or have ever visited this city chances are you’ve been here. They have one of the best patios – it looks out on the Potomac with views of the Kennedy Center.Seriously, on a gorgeous day, you want to sit out on that patio with a tray of fresh shucked oysters and a glass of rose and watch the boats go by. Thanks as always to Greg Casten and his whole team for always being such a tremendous supporter of me, this show, and the work that I do.Today, I’ll be chatting with Hugo Mogollon, the Executive Director of Fresh Farm Markets here in the DMV. Before launching The List in 2003, I was already a Fresh Farm supporter. I would schlep all five kids down to Dupont Circle on Sundays, not long after that first market opened in 1997, and we would leave with bags and bags of vegetables, eggs, and fruit. Once in the Industry, I became friendly with the FreshFarm founders, Bernie Prince and Ann Yonkers. They were some of the first guests on Foodie & the Beast. Over the years, FreshFarm Markets have expanded with more than 20 markets, and have created incredible outreach programs that bring fresh food to so many people. AND, FreshFarm has launched many businesses in this area as well. Giving makers an opportunity to R&D, grow and create brick & mortars — Call Your Mother, Red Apron and Gordy’s Pickles comes to mind.But first a little on where I’ve been:- I emceed the Embassy Chefs Challenge and it was amazing- I ate all the things at the Regarding Her Women’s History Month Dinner at Centrolina with Tiffany MacIssac, Amy Brandwein, Ellen Yin, Kimberly Prince and Rochelle Cooper- I also judged a pisco competition at Causa — cause that’s what I do- And, not food but a lil’ culture, took in the Star Power exhibit at the Portrait Gallery. I am a huge George Hurrell fan. As I mentioned, I am a FreshFarm fan and a shopper. In 2019 Hugo Mogollon joined FreshFarm as executive director. Fresfarm merged with Community Foodworks, which Hugo had led for five years, and now FreshFarm is the largest farmers market organization in the Mid-Atlantic. What Freshfarm can now offer as a regional food system is immense, as is their reach and impact. I am ready to get all updated – aren’t you?Listen to the full episode here, and watch it all, here.