The 33rd annual RAMMY Awards, a.k.a. the Oscars for Washington’s restaurant industry, unfolded Sunday night at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. A black tie crowd of hundreds included the city’s top chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, and other leading hospitality players, all present to learn who’ll earn trophies–and more importantly, bragging rights.
As is the case every year, an anonymous panel of judges—including past winners, industry insiders, and members of the media—decide the victors. A few categories, including Favorite Gathering Place and Favorite Fast Bites, are determined by public voting.
It’s also important to note that not every restaurant and bar in Washington is eligible for the competition. All nominees must be paying members of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW); a few notable establishments, including Rose’s Luxury, don’t participate in the trade group. There’re also restrictions in regards to time—most categories require that a restaurant operate for a year or more.
Without further ado, here are the winners of the 2015 RAMMY Awards. Restaurants marked with an asterisk denote winners determined by the voting public.
*Favorite Gathering Place: Bar Pilar
*Upscale Casual Brunch: Le Diplomate
*Everyday Casual Brunch: The Daily Dish
*Favorite Fast Bites: Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
Restaurant Employee of the Year: Evan Labb, Evening Star Cafe
Restaurant Manager of the Year: Joseph Cerione, Blue Duck Tavern
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: George Pagonis, Kapnos
Service Program of the Year: Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier
Upscale Casual Restaurant: Mintwood Place
Everyday Casual Restaurant: DGS Delicatessen
Beer Program of the Year: Pizzeria Paradiso Georgetown
Cocktail Program of the Year: Bourbon Steak
Wine Program of the Year: Iron Gate
Pastry Chef of the Year: Agnes Chin, The Grill Room
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant: The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
New Restaurant of the Year: Fiola Mare
Restaurateur of the Year: José Andrés and Rob Wilder, ThinkFoodGroup
Chef of the Year: Victor Albisu, Del Campo and Taco Bamba
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award: Herbert Miller, Western Development Corporation, Chairman & CEO
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
