Last night we headed to the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's 34th annual RAMMY Awards Gala at the Convention Center.
RAMW announced the 22 restaurant industry award winners at its much anticipated black-tie gala. Congrats to Chef of the Year, The Source by Wolfgang Puck's Scott Drewno. We snapped him bookended by gala chair Clyde's Restaurant Group's David Moran and RAMW president Kathy Hollinger.
Congrats to Mike Isabella, owner of Graffiato, Kapnos and Requin, who won Restaurateur of the Year. The evening started with a cocktail reception where guests enjoyed an oyster bar and bites of cherry tarts, asparagus wrapped in phyllo dough, chickpea stars and Beef Wellington.
Maketto's owner/chef Erik Bruner-Yang and chef James Wozniuk won New Restaurant of the Year. The winners were announced by local news reporters Leon Harris, Sue Palka and Eun Yang.
Bravo to Everyday Casual Brunch winner Duke's Grocery's Yuhang Mok, Jillian Catterton and Daniel Kramer. After the awards ceremony, guests were treated to a dinner reception with foods from Chile, Peru, Argentina and Korea, the Russian Caviar House, a Heineken beer lounge and bars by best cocktail program finalists.
Upscale Casual Brunch winner Le Diplomate's Erik Segelbaum, Jeffrey Barrientos, Neill Blackwood and Jenna Valetta. The menu included roasted veal, corn and goat cheese empanadas, dulce de leche sugar cookies from Argentina, quinoa risotto, mahi mahi BLT, and Peruvian peppers stuffed with sausage.
Beer Program of the Year winner, Right Proper Brewing Co's John Snedden, Bobby Bump, Leah Cheston and Nathan Zener. The drinks were flowing with Tico's botanist gin, Catoctin Creek's "I like it when you call me big paw paw," and Barmini's deep eddy vodka cocktails.
The Embassy of Chile's Rodrigo Contreras and Maria Jose Cuesta featured its Chilean wines and orange novel sour cocktails, which paired well with their salmon burgers, quinoa croquettes and scallops gratin. The Embassy of Korea served beef bulgogi, seafood scallion pancakes and rice wines.
Guests took pictures in a huge prop photo booth and danced the night away to music by DJ Neekola. Here, Lyon Hall's Gillian Schroeder, Liberty Tavern's Chelsea Christ and Northside Social's Brian Normile.
