Nominations Now Open For 42nd Annual RAMMY (DC Area Restaurant) Awards

The 42nd Annual RAMMY Awards Return Sunday, July 21, 2024, which is over half a year away, but nominations are now open.

Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced today that the 42nd Annual RAMMY Awards will return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in partnership with Events DC, on Sunday, July 21, 2024. The awards return to honor excellence in long standing categories that range from individual professional honors to accolades celebrating culinary concepts and service.

For the 2024 awards, any RAMW member in good standing, who meets all category eligibility requirements, is able to be nominated in the Restaurant, Individual Award, and Publicly Voted categories. All finalists and winners are determined by an anonymous panel of judges except for the winners of the five publicly-voted categories, which will be decided by public vote at a later date.

For the very first time, those in the industry can nominate themselves and others for the Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year category. The honoree in this category will be determined by the RAMW Executive Committee.

On eligibility, consistent with previous years, restaurants that were previously named winners in the past five years are not eligible to win that same category. Winners from the past five years are eligible to be nominated for other categories, except the one in which they won. Finalists who did not win their category are eligible to be nominated again in the same category. For more information on The 2024 RAMMYS eligibility criteria, visit therammys.org/eligibility.

Anyone in the public can nominate and those in the industry can nominate themselves and others for the following 2024 RAMMY Awards categories. Visit www.therammys.org to submit nominations.

• Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year

• Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year

• Casual Restaurant of the Year

• New Restaurant of the Year

• Wine Program of the Year

• Cocktail Program of the Year

• Beer Program of the Year

• Service Program of the Year

• Chef of the Year

• Rising Culinary Star of the Year

• Pastry Chef or Baker of the Year

• Manager of the Year

• Employee of the Year

• Restaurateur of the Year

Publicly Voted Categories:

• Favorite Gathering Place

• Best Brunch

• Best Bar

• Favorite Fast Bites

• Hottest Sandwich Spot

Online nominations for the above categories are now being accepted at www.therammys.org. RAMW looks forward to highlighting the industry’s strength, passion, dedication, and support for communities throughout metropolitan Washington. Nominations will be accepted through Thursday, February 29, at 11:59pm EST. Finalists will be announced at an invite-only event this April.

As always, the RAMW Executive Committee will determine the nominees and honorees for the following categories:

• Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award

• Honorary Milestone Award

• John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award

For more information regarding the awards, how to support the program, and this year’s format, email [email protected]. Follow RAMW’s blog for regular updates and resources for the region’s restaurant and foodservice community.

The RAMMYS: Presented by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), The RAMMY Awards Gala honors the exceptional ability and accomplishments of the hard-working individuals and organizations of the region’s restaurants and foodservice community. Named the #1 Food & Restaurant event by BIZBASH Magazine since 2009, The RAMMYS celebrate one of metropolitan Washington’s greatest assets: Its restaurants.

About Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW): The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is the regional trade association representing restaurants and the foodservice industry in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Established in 1920, RAMW is an advocate, resource and community for its members. The Association works to promote and sustain the growth and development of the industry while providing its members legislative and regulatory representation, marketing and small business support, programming and events. RAMW strives to serve its members with professionalism and integrity, and provide them the training, education and support they need to grow a successful business.