Restaurant Association, Beard Foundation Name Finalists
By • May 11, 2020 0 2022
Two culinary organizations — Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and the Greenwich Village-based James Beard Foundation — announced the finalists for their 2020 awards on May 4.
While most of the restaurant association’s RAMMY awardees will be chosen by an anonymous panel of food and dining journalists, educators and food-service professionals, the public votes for the winners in four categories: Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Upscale Brunch of the Year, Casual Brunch of the Year and Favorite Fast Bites of the Year.
RAMW’s executive committee chooses the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year (to be named) and the winner of the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award, which this year goes to Randy Norton of Great American Restaurants. The 2020 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award will be given to Mrs. K’s Toll House (90 years), Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company (30 years) and Vace Italian Delicatessen (44 years).
The remaining winners will be announced at the 38th annual RAMMY Awards Gala, currently scheduled for Sunday, July 26, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Among the finalists for the 2020 James Beard Foundation Awards, to be announced later this year in Chicago, are: Paola Velez, pastry chef at Kith/Kin, in the Rising Culinary Star category; Amy Brandwein of Centrolina and Piccolina and Jon Sybert of Tail Up Goat in the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic category; José Andrés’s Jaleo in the Outstanding Restaurant category; and Kwame Onwuachi, executive chef at Kith/Kin, for his book “Notes from a Young Black Chef.” Click here for the complete list.
The list of RAMMY finalists follows.
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year
Coastal Sunbelt Produce
Congressional Seafood Co.
Ecolab
Saval Foodservice
TriMark Adams-Burch
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year
Arcadia Farm
Atlas Brew Works
Ayrshire Farm
Bluejacket
Logan Sausage Co.
Employee of the Year
Yesenia Neri Diaz, Espita Mezcaleria
Isael Granados, Roofers Union
Yasmin Orozco, Taco Bamba Taqueria – Springfield
Kyare Turner, Right Proper Brewing Co.
Jose Ventura, Rasika
Manager of the Year
Jamal Flowers, Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Co. – Alexandria
Charlie Idol, Mission Navy Yard
Rizza Leguro, Founding Farmers Tysons
Jeremy Mancuso, Old Ebbitt Grill
Bethany Wagener, Alta Strada – Mosaic
Service Program of the Year
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Ristorante Piccolo
Rose’s Luxury
St. Anselm
The Red Hen
Casual Restaurant of the Year
Bantam King
CHIKO – Capitol Hill
Duke’s Counter
Little Pearl
Stable
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year
Centrolina
Chloe
Maydan
Poca Madre
Unconventional Diner
Rising Culinary Star of the Year
Marcelle Afram, Maydan
Faiz Ally, Poca Madre
Angel Barreto, Anju
Jocelyn Law-Yone, Thamee
Yuan Tang, Rooster & Owl
Pastry Chef of the Year
Caitlin Dysart, Centrolina
Olivia Green, Rooster & Owl
Katherine Thompson, Thompson Italian
Meagan Tighe, Trummer’s
Paola Velez, Kith/Kin
Wine Program of the Year
Clarity
Field & Main
Primrose
St. Anselm
The Wine Kitchen – Frederick
Beer Program of the Year
B Side
Caboose Brewing Co. – Vienna
Franklin Hall
Roofers Union
Sweetwater Tavern – Centreville
Cocktail Program of the Year
China Chilcano
Colada Shop – DC
Officina
Royal
Service Bar
Favorite Gathering Place of the Year
Brookland’s Finest
Lapis
Quarry House Tavern
Stomping Ground
The Salt Line
Upscale Brunch of the Year
Bindaas – Cleveland Park
Estadio
Seasons at the Four Seasons DC
St. Anselm
Trummer’s
Casual Brunch of the Year
All-Purpose Shaw
Casolare Ristorante + Bar
Liberty Barbecue
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
The Tavern at Ivy City Smokehouse
Favorite Fast Bites of the Year
Call Your Mother Deli – Park View
Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly
RASA
Shouk
Sloppy Mama’s BBQ
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
Gravitas
Pineapple and Pearls
Rasika West End
The Conservatory at Goodstone Inn
Three Blacksmiths
New Restaurant of the Year
Anju
Cane
Emilie’s
Punjab Grill
Rooster & Owl
Chef of the Year
Matt Baker, Gravitas
David Deshaies, Unconventional Diner
Haidar Karoum, Chloe
Ryan Ratino, Bresca
Kevin Tien, Emilie’s
Restaurateur of the Year
Victor Albisu, Poca Madre, Taco Bamba Taqueria
Bo Blair, Georgetown Events (The Bullpen, Due South, Jetties, Millie’s, Surfside)
Mark Fedorchak, Stephen Fedorchak, and Brian Normile, The Liberty Tavern Group
Yama Jewayni, Katsuya Fukushima, and Daisuke Utagawa, Daikaya Group
Aaron Silverman, Rose’s Luxury, Pineapple and Pearls, Little Pearl
