Food

Here Are the Winners of Washington’s 2015 RAMMY Awards

Patowmack Farm, Le Diplomate, and more take home wins at the local restaurant industry Oscars.

The 2015 RAMMY Awards named leading players in Washington's restaurant industry; Le Diplomate (pictured above) won for Upscale Casual Brunch. Photograph by Scott Suchman

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

Food Editor

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.