RAMW Announces Ris Lacoste to Receive the 2023 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award
Renowned chef and restaurateur to be honored with esteemed industry award at reception this June
Washington, DC—Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) today announced chef and restaurateur Ris Lacoste as the 2023 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award recipient. One of the most respected and dedicated chefs in the region, Lacoste has earned a reputation built on genuine hospitality, mentoring the next generation of industry workers, and a true love for her team members and the guests she serves. Diners adore her use of high-quality ingredients, bold innovative techniques, and food that is both familiar and delicious.
The award, named in honor of legendary Washington restaurateur Duke Zeibert, is one of many awards presented during The RAMMY Awards season. The honoree, selected by RAMW’s Executive Committee, recognizes an individual whose hard work and outstanding initiative has increased the profile and success of the metropolitan Washington foodservice community and dining landscape.
A James Beard nominated chef, Lacoste is chef and owner of RIS, a destination bistro in DC’s West End neighborhood. She learned her craft from the famed Anne Willan at her Paris culinary school, Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, eventually returning stateside to start a long, rewarding relationship with Chef Bob Kinkead. The Harvest in Cambridge, Massachusetts, 21 Federal in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Twenty-One Federal in Washington DC, Kinkead’s American Brasserie, and, finally, 1789 Restaurant all brought her to the doorstep of her own restaurant, RIS. There, her innovative regional American fare continues to draw national and local attention and has earned her numerous awards, including a recommendation from Michelin.
Lacoste is well known for her commitment to community involvement. She actively participates in a range of fundraising efforts in the District. She currently sits on the Kitchen Cabinet advisory board of the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, the boards of Fresh Farm Markets and the Foggy Bottom West End Village, and is a member of the Women’s Forum of Washington DC as well as Les Dames d’Escoffier. She is a long-standing member of the RAMW Board of Directors, having previously served on the Executive Committee of the Board, and is currently a Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture. She was honored as one of DC’s Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian and is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s “NON STOP” Class of 2017. A past longtime board member of DC Central Kitchen as well as the Hospitality Charter High School of Washington DC, Lacoste was an active member of the National Board of Directors for the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) and served as chairman of its National Capital Area Chapter. She sits on the board of the DC Chapter of Re: Her, supporting young women entrepreneurs in our local food industry, and she is a mentor of the Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital CAMP CEO. Lacoste is also a talented educator committed to developing the minds of young people and helping them perfect techniques in her kitchen, which is consistently filled with passionate students honing their craft.
A special reception event honoring Ris Lacoste will take place on June 5 and the 41st Annual RAMMY Awards Gala will take place on Sunday, July 9, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. 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 June reception or the July RAMMY Awards, 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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