RAMW Announces 2023 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award + John G. Laytham Leadership and Impact Award Recipients

Eight iconic DMV dining destinations recognized for remarkable longevity after decades in business

Washington, DC—Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) announced today its 2023 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award recipients, each acknowledged for decades delighting local diners and visitors alike. Filomena Ristorante (40 years), The Grill From Ipanema (30 years), Old Europe (75 years), Cafe Milano (30 years), National Democratic Club (70 years), Artie’s (45 years), Four Sisters (30 years), and Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse (75 years) will receive the award for serving the metropolitan Washington area for a significant number of years. Also announced today, The John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award will be given to Michael Curtin, chief executive officer of DC Central Kitchen, for his significant contribution to the region’s foodservice industry and giving back to the community.

Commemorating long-standing local restaurants and RAMW members who have been in business for over 25 years, the Honorary Milestone Award is bestowed upon restaurants from casual to formal including some of the region’s most celebrated dining institutions. All will be formally dedicated at the 2023 RAMMY Awards on Sunday, July 9, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

DC honorees include Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse, celebrating 75 years of serving locals and visitors in Dupont Circle, Old Europe, recognizing 75 years as a true authentic German landmark, National Democratic Club, dining top politicos for 70 years, Georgetown’s Cafe Milano commemorating 30 years , Filomena Ristorante celebrating 40 years, and The Grill From Ipanema, serving authentic Brazilian food in Adams Morgan for 30 years.

Virginia honorees include Great American Restaurants’ Artie’s, bringing 45 years of innovative American cuisine to Fairfax, and Four Sisters, which recently announced its closure after 30 years of bringing cherished Vietnamese cuisine to the Merrifield neighborhood.

The John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award is presented to individuals from the region’s foodservice community who have made a sizable impact locally, nationally, or globally through their work and vision. This award recipient is determined by RAMW’s executive committee.

Michael Curtin joined DC Central Kitchen in 2004 as its chief operating officer and has served as chief executive officer since 2007. He came to the organization after a twenty-year career in the hospitality sector that included owning and operating his own restaurant, The Broad Street Grill, in Falls Church, Virginia. He drew on that industry expertise to expand DC Central Kitchen’s social enterprise portfolio from catering and small foodservice contracts to include an award-winning farm-to-school model and thriving healthy cafes across DC that total $10 million in annual earnings, allowing DC Central Kitchen to match every donation it receives with earned revenue.

A DC-area native, Mike attended Gonzaga College High School and Williams College before living and working in Osaka, Japan as a teacher, copywriter, and bartender at his neighborhood pub. Upon returning to the DC region, he re-immersed himself in our local community with significant community service activities. Mike is a chair emeritus of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and has served in volunteer leadership capacities with The Common Market, the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, Capital Riverfront Business Improvement District, Falls Church Business and Education Partnership, Greater Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, DC Greens, Real Food for Kids, Catalyst Kitchens, and DC Hunger Solutions. As a central contributor to the Social Enterprise World Forum, Mike has spoken about the power of social enterprise to audiences from South Korea to Scotland.

Mike’s outstanding community contributions have been recognized with numerous individual awards, including the Washington Business Journal’s Nonprofit Leader of the Year Award (2022), SOAR’s Father Bob Brown Good Samaritan Award (2022), Williams College’s Bicentennial Meal, its highest alumni honor (2015), RAMW Education Foundation Vision Award (2015), Falls Church Elkins Community Leadership Award (2014), St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Washington, DC’s Gael of the Year (2012), Gonzaga College High School’s Pedro Arrupe SJ Award (2012) and its St. Aloysius Medal (2011), the Gelman, Rosenberg, and Freedman EXCEL Award for Nonprofit Management from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (2010), the Ignatian Volunteer Corps’ Della Strada Award (2010), and City of Falls Church Business Person of the Year (2001).

Under Mike’s leadership, DC Central Kitchen has received numerous organizational accolades, including Washington Business Journal’s Lease of the Year (2020), Washington City Paper’s Reader’s Choice for DC’s Best Food Nonprofit (2020), Center for Good Food Purchasing’s Good Food Hero Award (2019), two Harkin Institute Wellness Awards (2018, 2019), Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Golden Carrot Award (2015), the DC Chamber of Commerce’s Community Impact Award (2012), the Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Award (2011), Washington Business Journal’s Green Business Award for Innovation (2010). DCCK was also recognized with two White House Champion of Change Awards for its leadership on returning citizens’ issues and food waste prevention during the Obama Administration.

The Milestone Award was first awarded in 2008 to Ben’s Chili Bowl and other past honorees include restaurants like 1789 and The Tombs, Tabard Inn, Tune Inn, The Monocle, Rockland’s Barbeque and Grilling Co., Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Vace, and Pizzeria Paradiso. Other John G. Laytham award honorees include the acclaimed Chef José Andrés and Claude Andersen of the Clyde’s Restaurant Group. All award recipients will be honored at the 41st Annual RAMMY Awards Gala on Sunday, July 9, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The 2023 RAMMYS sponsors include Events DC, NBC Washington, Amazon, National Landing Business Improvement District, Club Glow, and many industry supporters. For more information regarding the 2023 RAMMY Awards Gala, tickets, how to support the program, and this year’s format, email therammys@ramw.org.

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.

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.

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