Get ready to fight for reservations at The Red Hen and Ripple: they won big at the 2014 RAMMY Awards.
The culinary bash affectionately known as “Restaurant Prom” (thanks to familiar facets like a sweaty dance floor and creative interpretations of formalwear) was bigger than ever thanks to its new location at DC Convention Center. Twenty RAMMY awards were handed out on June 22 at a ceremony punctuated by cheers of USA because of the simultaneous Portugal vs. US World Cup match. (Unless people just really get excited about American cuisine.)
The Red Hen chef Michael Friedman was prom king, taking away RAMMYs for best new restaurant and rising culinary star. We snapped him with his business partner Sebastian Zutant and their wives Ashley and Lauren. In an acceptance speech, Zutant thanked Rose’s Luxury Chef Aaron Silverman for his ineligibility (in jest), reminding everyone that you must be a member of Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington to be nominated. Ripple Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley was prom queen. Her restaurant won for best upscale casual restaurant and wine program of the year.
Among the 2,000 attendees were several ambassadors, media, and local politicians like Mayor Vincent Gray, here with 2941 Restaurant’s Caitlin Dysart. Caitlin took home a RAMMY for pastry chef. Like all proms, there was one heck of an after party. It was held at The Partisan, a product of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, whose captain, Michael Babin, won a RAMMY for restaurateur of the year. Also notable was Haidar Karoum’s win for chef of the year.
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