Oh! It’s RAMMY Season

Buzz

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 Sushi
  • Ellie Bird
  • Hiraya
  • I Egg You
  • Petite Cerise

 

Cocktail Program of the Year:

  • Amazonia
  • Bar Spero
  • Jane Jane
  • Mercy Me
  • Silver Lyan

 

Beer Program of the Year:

  • Atlas Brew Works
  • Red Bear Brewing Co.
  • TallBoy
  • The Midland’s Beer Garden
  • Zinnia

 

Wine Program of the Year:

  • Apéro
  • ERA
  • Irregardless
  • Lulu's Wine Garden
  • St. Anselm

 

Rising Culinary Star of the Year:

  • Jennifer Castaneda-Jones, Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier
  • Ria Montes, Estuary
  • Masako Morishito, Perry's
  • Matt Sperber, Any Day Now
  • Jovana Urriola, Café Unido

 

Employee of the Year:

  • Michael Wyatt, Annabelle Restaurant
  • Kodjo "Olivier" Etenda, Lutèce
  • Hilda Claro Duran, Residents Café and Bar
  • Kristen Wilson, Causa
  • Jonathan Aseff, Shilling Canning Company

 

Manager of the Year:

  • Janice McLean, Estuary at the Conrad Hotels
  • Rachid Hdouche, ilili DC
  • Uros Jojic, Ambar Capitol Hill
  • Angel Guillen, El Cielo
  • Victoria Gradia, KNEAD Hospitality + Design

 

Service Program of the Year:

  • Filomena
  • Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
  • Le Diplomate
  • Reveler's Hour
  • Xiquet by Danny Lledó

 

Casual Restaurant of the Year:

  • Kirby Club
  • La Famosa
  • Stellina Pizzeria
  • Supra
  • Taco Bamba

 

Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year:

  • Anju
  • Chez Billy Sud
  • Lutèce
  • Queen's English
  • Shilling Canning Company

 

Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year:

  • Susan Bae, Moon Rabbit
  • Gregory Baumgartner, Cranes
  • Rochelle Cooper, Eastern Point Collective
  • Isabel Coss, Lutèce, Pascual
  • Mary Mendoza, (formerly) Bantam King, Hole in the Wall, Tonari

 

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year:

  • Blue Rock
  • Causa/Amazonia
  • Oyster Oyster
  • Rania
  • The Dabney

 

Chef of the Year:

  • Angel Barreto, Anju
  • Carlos Delgado, Causa/Amazonia
  • Jeremiah Langhorne, The Dabney
  • Katarina Petonito, Eastern Point Collective
  • Jon Sybert, Tail Up Goat

 

Restaurateur of the Year:

  • José Andrés, José Andrés Restaurants
  • Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder, Long Shot Hospitality
  • Andrew Dana and Daniela Moreira, Timber Pizza, Call Your Mother, Turu's, Mercy Me
  • Enrique Limardo and Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger, Seven Reasons Group
  • Zubair, Omar, Fatima, and Shamim Popal, The Popal Group

 

Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: 

 

  • Ecolab
  • Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
  • Harmony Group, Inc.
  • Keany Produce & Gourmet
  • Preferred Insurance Services, Inc.

 

*Favorite Gathering Place*: (Public Votes)

  • Brookland's Finest
  • Glory Days Grill
  • Lulu's Winegarden
  • Millie's
  • Mi Vida

 

*Best Brunch*: (Public Votes)

  • ala
  • Duke's Counter
  • Makan
  • Seasons at the Four Seasons
  • The Park at 14th

 

*Best Bar*: (Public Votes)

  • Bar Chinois
  • Residents Café and Bar
  • The Green Zone
  • Royal Sands Social Club
  • Slash Run

 

*Favorite Fast Bites*: (Public Votes)

  • Andy's Pizza
  • Arepa Zone
  • Bantam King
  • Fava Pot
  • Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ

 

*Hottest Sandwich Spot*: (Public Votes)

  • Colada Shop
  • Lucky Buns
  • Queen Mother's
  • Roaming Rooster
  • Your 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.