This is the year you are on the awards committee. For the first time, members of the public can make nominations for the RAMMY Awards.
Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced late last week that the 39th Annual RAMMY Awards will return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center as a hybrid lived streamed and in-person event on Sunday, Sept 19.
Rather than honor winners in the 21 categories that are typically recognized, RAMW plans to bring the industry together to celebrate and recover from the devastation of the last year in a different way.
Recognizing that it would not be fair to assess the industry on performance in 2020 – a year largely full of challenges and unforeseen hurdles – RAMW, the esteemed panel of RAMMYS judges, and the 2021 RAMMYS Chairs Committee, have created timely categories that speak to all the ways that the region’s industry uniquely met those challenges. Also unique to this year, nearly half of the honors bestowed will be voted on by the public.
Special for this year only, membership in RAMW is not a prerequisite for nomination. Anyone in the public can nominate and those in the industry can nominate themselves and others for the following 2021 RAMMY Awards categories:
- Managers of the Year
- Employees of the Year
- Formal Fine Dining in a Box
- Most Innovative To-Go Packaging Game
- Outstanding Covid-Safe Redesign (Indoors or Outdoors)
- Most Impressive Pivot to Provisions or Market
- Good Neighbor Award
Publicly Voted Categories:
- Outstanding Ghost Kitchen or Pop-Up Concept
- Coolest Cocktails and Beverages To-Go
- Standout Family Meal Packages To-Go
- Prime Pandemic Patio Scene
- Technology Trailblazers
- Splendid Holidays at Home Offerings
- Festive Foodie Experiences
- Hottest New Sandwich Spot
- Stellar Brunches at Home
RAMW will begin accepting online nominations for the above categories at www.therammys.org on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 9am and looks forward to shining light on the industry’s strength, passion, dedication, and support for communities throughout metropolitan Washington. Nominations will be accepted through 11:59pm, the evening of June 13, 2021.
As always, the RAMW Executive Committee will determine the nominees and honorees for the following categories:
- Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year
- Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award
- Honorary Milestone Award
- John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award
The awards will pivot once again to honor the industry for the extraordinary ways in which its operators, distributors and suppliers, and industry partners were innovative, rethinking operations and navigating recent challenges in creative ways.
The RAMMY Awards honor the accomplishments of the restaurant and foodservice industry across the Metropolitan Washington region, while shining light on some bright and talented stars who are the best of the best in that year.
Due to the success of last year’s hybrid format, some portions of the awards program will be available for live streaming. For more information regarding the awards, how to support the program, and this year’s format, email therammys@ramw.org.
Follow RAMW’s industry blog for regular updates and resources for the region’s restaurant and foodservice community.
