In 2013, the DMV saw a flurry of restaurants – many coming, others going and old favorites serving us well. But which is THE best? The 2014 Rammy Awards, kind of like the Oscar’s of the DMV food world from The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), will attempt to answer that question.

Rammy Awards line a table waiting to be presented. (Photo: Gearshift TV)

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Some restaurants, like Aaron Gordon’s Bar di Bari along 14th Street NW, Gordon and Top Chef Rock Harper’s Fat Shorty’s sausage shop in Clarendon and Frederik de Pue’s Azur in Penn Quarter came and went. But others, like Stephen Starr’s Le Diplomat on 14th Street NW still have long waits months after opening.

RAMW announced this year’s finalists last Tuesday. The winners will be announced at a black tie gala on June 22 at the Washington Convention Center. The association began the awards gala in 1982 as a way to honor members and raise money. There are seven new categories this year, including cocktail and beer programs, regional food producers, “fast bites” and separate categories for both upscale brunch and everyday casual brunch.

Any RAMW member who met all category requirements was eligible for nomination, so some like Rose’s Luxury, widely regarded as one of the city’s best, is missing from the competition because it isn’t a member. The association’s refusal to open it to non-members is the biggest obstacle it has to becoming as prestigious as a national James Beard Award given by the James Beard Foundation.

The Rammy selection process involves the voting public and a panel of 11 anonymous volunteer judges (even to each other), consisting of food and dining journalists, educators and food service industry professionals. The public will vote for the winners in four categories: Favorite Gathering Place of the Year, Upscale Brunch, Everyday Casual Brunch and Favorite Fast Bites.

Vikram Sunderam (right) of Rasika, the 2012 best chef winner, and Fabio Trabocchi of Fiola, the 2013 best chef winner, at last year’s gala. (Photo: R. Lopez/Eater DC)

2014 Rammy Finalists

* indicates a new category this year

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year

• Fiola
• Marcel’s
• Minibar
• The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
• Trummer’s on Main

 
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year

• Et Voila!
• Maple Ave Restaurant
• Oyamel
• Proof
• Ripple

 
Everyday Casual Restaurant of the Year

• Graffiato
• Hank’s Oyster Bar – Dupont
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
• Pizzeria Orso
• Toki Underground

 
New Restaurant of the Year

• Del Campo
• Doi Moi
• Le Diplomate
• The Red Hen
• Table

 
Chef of the Year

• Victor Albisu – Del Campo
• Cathal Armstrong – Eat Good Food Group
• Haidar Karoum – Doi Moi, Estadio, Proof
• Tarver King – The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
• Cedric Maupillier – Mintwood Place

 
Rising Culinary Star of the Year

• Eric Bruner-Yang, Toki Underground
• Michael Friedman, The Red Hen
• Tim Ma, Maple Ave Restaurant/Water & Wall
• Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Ripple
• Johnny Spero, Minibar

 
Pastry Chef of the Year

• Caitlin Dysart, 2941 Restaurant
• Naomi Gallego, Blue Duck Tavern
• Jason Gehring – MENU / MBK, Table
• Santosh Tiptur, Co Co. Sala
• Tom Wellings, Fiola

 
Wine Program of the Year

• 2941 Restaurant
• The Curious Grape
• Estadio
• Restaurant Eve
• Ripple

 
Cocktail Program of the Year*

• Black Jack
• Bourbon Steak
• The Gibson
• Hanks Oyster Bar – Capitol Hill
• Jack Rose Dining Saloon

 
Beer Program of the Year*

• Birch and Barley/ChurchKey
• Brasserie Beck
• Granville Moore’s
• Lyon Hall
• Mad Fox Brewing Company

 
Service Program of the Year*

• BLT Steak
• Blue Duck Tavern
• The Bombay Club
• Marcel’s
• Rasika

 
Restaurateur of the Year

• José Andrés and Rob Wilder – ThinkFoodGroup
• Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong – Eat Good Food Group
• Michael Babin – Neighborhood Restaurant Group
• Gus DiMillo, David Wizenberg, Jeff Tunks – Passion Food Hospitality
• Mark Kuller – Doi Moi, Estadio, Proof

 
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year*

• Catoctin Creek Distilling Company
• DC Brau Brewing Company
• Port City Brewing Company
• Rappahannock Oyster Co.
• Red Apron Butcher

 
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year (chosen by the RAMW board)

• Acme Paper and Supply Company
• EagleBank
• Profish Ltd.
• Republic National Distributing Company
• SYSCO Food Service of Baltimore

 
Employee of the Year

• Stelios Alexandris – 1789 Restaurant
• Eric “Soup” Campbell – The Hamilton
• Molly Horn – Farmers Fisher Bakers
• Pablo Lemus – Bourbon Steak
• Sandra Sanchez – Acadiana

 
Manager of the Year

• Jorge Figueredo – Jaleo DC
• Kendra Graves – Farmers Fisher Bakers
• Robert Hall – Newton’s Table
• Boo Young Kim – District Commons
• Tyes Zolman – Pearl Dive Oyster Palace & Black Jack

Public voting categories

Favorite Gathering Place of the Year

• Bar Pilar
• Bistrot Du Coin
• Cashion’s Eat Place
• Hank’s Oyster Bar – Dupont
• Tune Inn

 
Upscale Brunch*

• Art and Soul
• Blue Duck Tavern
• Mintwood Place
• The Source by Wolfgang Puck
• Vermilion

 
Everyday Casual Brunch*

• DGS Delicatessen
• Et Voila!
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
• Pizzeria Orso
• Ted’s Bulletin – Barracks Row

 
Favorite Fast Bites*

• Amsterdam Falafelshop
• Bayou Bakery
• Buzz Bakery
• Red Apron Butcher
• Woodward TakeOut Food

The 2013 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Black Tie Fundraising Gala hosted by LLS’s Woman of the Year nominee, Nora Sommerkamp, and Social DC Public Relations will be held on Friday, April 12 from 7-11 p.m. at the Artisphere in Rosslyn, Va. Sommerkamp is a NYC business woman and top model who started in D.C.

The gala will have live hip hop and Latin dance performances and music by Crash Boom Bang and Chris Crab. There will
be a fashion presentation with live models. There will be appetizers, specialty drinks by American Juice Company and a cash bar. A silent auction will conclude the evening. This will be a great event that you shouldn’t miss. Come out and support a great cause and have a fun night.

Candidates for the LLS’s Man & Woman of the Year title compete in honor of children who are local blood cancer survivors, the Boy & Girl of the Year. Every dollar raised counts as one vote, and the titles are awarded to the man and woman with the most votes at the end of 10 weeks; the top local fundraisers in the country win the national titles. Funds raised by the fund blood cancer research, financial assistance to cover patient expenses, education materials, local programs and comprehensive, personalize assistance through the LLS Information Research Center.

For my ladies, Chris Bukowski from The Bachelorette will be there. Now who would want to miss that? DC on Heels photographer Natan and I will also be attending this event.

Tickets can be purchased at http://noramwoy2013.eventbrite.com/. RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/441899839221767/

Article by Redeait Meaza