It’s Masako Morishita’s year. Just last month, the chef at Perry’s in Adams Morgan snagged a prestigious James Beard Award for Emerging Chef, beating out competitors from around the country. Last night, the former Commanders cheerleader took home a similar honor—Rising Culinary Star of the Year—at DC’s annual restaurant-industry awards ceremony, the RAMMYS. The accolades, doled out by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), highlight the area’s top restaurants, chefs, restaurateurs, and bars.
The awards’ recipients, mostly selected by a panel of anonymous judges (a handful of categories are voted on by the public), were announced at a gala and ceremony at DC’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center. To be considered for an award, a restaurant has to be a dues-paying member of RAMW.
Other major winners included Ellie Bird, the whimsical Falls Church dining room from Rooster & Owl owners Carey and Yuan Tang, which was named New Restaurant of the Year. Causa—the Peruvian tasting room that landed the #1 spot on Washingtonian’s 2024 100 Best Restaurants list (and was the Rammys top new restaurant last year)—snagged the prize for Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year. And Angel Barreto of Dupont Korean hit Anju is the latest Chef of the Year.
Here’s the full list of winners:
New Restaurant of the Year: Ellie Bird
Cocktail Program of the Year: Silver Lyan
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Masako Morishita, Perry’s
Beer Program of the Year: Zinnia
Wine Program of the Year: Apero
Employee of the Year: Michael Wyatt, Annabelle Restaurant
Manager of the Year: Victoria Gradia, KNEAD Hospitality + Design
Service Program of the Year: Reveler’s Hour
Casual Restaurant of the Year: La Famosa
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Lutèce
Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year: Rochelle Cooper, The Duck & The Peach
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: Causa/Amazonia
Chef of the Year: Angel Barreto, Anju
Restaurateur of the Year: Kyle Bailey, Jon Ball, Jeremy Carman, Gavin Coleman, and Paul Holder, Long Shot Hospitality (Dauphine’s, the Salt Line, Ometeo)
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year (selected by the RAMW executive committee): Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School
Publicly Voted Categories:
Favorite Gathering Place: Mi Vida
Best Brunch: Duke’s Counter
Best Bar: Bar Chinois
Favorite Fast Bites: Fava Pot
Hottest Sandwich Shop: Colada Shop
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
