THE RAMMYS – 2009 FINALISTS

Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year
Bastille, Alexandria VA; Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Oyamel, Washington DC; Rasika, Washington DC; Zaytinya, Washington DC

Rising Culinary Star of the Year
Cedric Maupillier – Central Michel Richard, Washington DC; Daniel Giusti – 1789, Washington, DC; Mike Isabella – Zaytinya, Washington DC; Shannon Overmiller – Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Tony Chittum – Vermilion, Alexandria VA

New Restaurant of the Year
Adour, Washington DC; Art and Soul, Washington DC; CommonWealth, Washington DC; Cork, Washington DC; PassionFish, Reston VA

Pastry Chef of Year
Josh Short – Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Kate Jansen – Willow, Arlington VA; Melanie Parker – Equinox, Washington DC; Michelle Garbee-Poteaux – Bastille, Alexandria VA; Travis Olson – 1789, Washington DC

Associate Member of the Year
BB&T;  Belair Produce Inc./Watermark Foods;  EagleBank; The Legacy Group; ProChile

Wine and Beverage Program of the Year
Cityzen, Washington DC; Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Oya, Washington DC; The Willard Intercontinental Hotel, Washington DC; Zola, Washington, DC

Restaurant Employee of the Year
Jennifer Roe –DC Coast, Washington DC; Juan Francisco Lopez – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC; Marco Guzman – Café Atlantico, Washington DC; Yves Chassagneux – Willow, Arlington VA; Jose Bermudez – Evening Star, Alexandria VA

Restaurant Manager of the Year
Tom Burke – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC; Diego Zeballos – Jaleo; Ryland Johnson – Zola, Washington DC; Scott Weinstein – BlackSalt, Washington DC; Brian Zipin – Central Michel Richard, Washington DC

Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
2941, Falls Church VA; Blue Duck Tavern, Washington DC; Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington DC; Restaurant Eve, Alexandria, VA; Vermilion, Alexandria  VA

Chef of the Year
Jamie Leeds – Hank’s/CommonWealth, Washington DC; Todd Gray – Equinox, Washington DC; Massimo Fabri – Posto/Ristorante Tosca, Washington DC; Vikram Sunderam – Rasika, Washington, DC; Robert Wiedmaier – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC

Public Voting Categories:
Power Spot of the Year
BLT Steak, Washington DC; Central Michel Richard, Washington DC; Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington DC; The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington DC; Teatro Goldoni, Washington DC

Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene of the Year
CoCo. Sala, Washington DC; Marvin, Washington DC; Proof, Washington DC; The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington DC; Willow Creek Farm, Broadlands VA

Neighborhood Gathering Place of the Year
Belga Café, Washington DC; Cork ,Washington DC; EatBar, Arlington VA; The Liberty Tavern, Arlington VA; Marvin Washington DC

Your Favorite Restaurant - You Voted & Choose the following finalists:
Café Atlantico, Washington, DC; Central Michel Richard; Clyde's Willow Creek Farm, Broadlands, VA; CoCo. Sala, Washington, DC; Teatro Goldoni, Washington, DC

THE RAMMYS
The first Restaurant Awards Gala was held in 1982 to honor the best and brightest of our industry and was attended by a handful of the area’s restaurants.  Twenty seven years later, The RAMMY Restaurant Awards has grown to over 1300 attendees with national and international press coverage underscoring its prominence and the importance of Washington as the nation’s dining capital. 

A portion of the proceeds from the gala will benefit the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington Education Foundation. Proceeds will help area high school students develop viable careers in the restaurant industry by providing scholarships for post-secondary education in restaurant and hospitality-related fields.