RAMMY Ruby Anniversary: New, Favorite and Milestone Restaurants
By • July 25, 2022 0 1476
Restaurant industry professionals and their fans gathered last night at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the 40th Annual RAMMY Awards as Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington announced winners and a range of special distinctions in a number of categories celebrating excellence in long-standing and pandemic-era categories that ranged from individual professional honors to accolades celebrating culinary concepts and service.
The awards program began with a video of chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee getting ready to go to the awards event and then walked on stage at event — and finally at the end of ceremony, won for Restaurateur of the Year with The Fried Rice Collective.
The night also saluted Georgetown’s 1789 Restaurant and The Tombs for 60 years in business — and among others, the Tabard Inn near Dupont Circle for 100 years.
For 2022, the RAMMYS returned with a program of familiar categories honoring RAMW members, representing a year during which the industry rebuilt, recovered, and grew with new establishments. A selection of categories also spoke to pandemic-era aspects that both restaurants and diners have continued to enjoy and employ — all of which were decided via public vote earlier this year. Another carryover from last year, publicly voted categories were open to any foodservice operation in the region.
The winners of the 2022 RAMMY Awards are (asterisk after name denotes publicly voted category):
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Christian Irabien, Muchas Gracias
Pastry Chef of the Year: Francois Yann Buisine, Un je ne sais Quoi
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: Congressional Seafood
Employee of the Year: Herman Machado, The Salt Line – Navy Yard
Manager of the Year: Robert Heim, Shaw’s Tavern
Service Program of the Year: Tail Up Goat
Splendid Holidays at Home*: Unconventional Diner
Hottest Sandwich Spot*: Mangialardo’s
Favorite Gathering Place of the Year*: Casta’s Rum Bar
Favorite Fast Bites*: Little Miner Taco
Outstanding Pop-Up Concept*: Bun Papa
Standout Family Meal Packages To Go*: 2 Fifty Texas BBQ
Best Brunch of the Year*: A&J Restaurant
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Albi
Casual Restaurant of the Year: Ruthie’s All-Day
Wine Program of the Year: Queen’s English
Cocktail Program of the Year: Serenata
Beer Program of the Year: Quarry House Tavern
Chef of the Year: Rob Rubba, Oyster Oyster
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Cranes
New Restaurant of the Year: Daru
Restaurateur of the Year: Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, The Fried Rice Collective
The 2022 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award recipients were also honored, celebrating a significant number of years serving locals and visitors in Metropolitan Washington: 1789 and The Tombs (60 years), Anthony’s Restaurant (50 years), Bombay Bistro (30 years), Duangrat’s (35 years), El Tamarindo (40 years), Franklins (30 years), La Côte d’Or Café (30 years), Mike’s American (35 years), and Tabard Inn (100 years).
The Popal family (Lutèce, Lapis and Berliner): Zubair, Shamim, Fatima and Omar. Shamim Popal was nominated for chef of the year. Photo by Bill Starrels.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, Jack Evans and Shawn Yancey. Photo by Bill Starrels.
Scott Drewno and Danny Lee won for Restaurateur of the Year – The Fried Rice Collective – at the 40th Annual RAMMY Awards. Photo by Bill Starrels.
