Restaurant, chef of year named at CT Restaurant Association gala. Winners are…
It was like Academy Awards night for the state’s restaurant industry this week as the Connecticut Restaurant Association held its Crazies Awards at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Among the 2023 winners are: Restaurant of the Year Award went to Coracora, Peruvian Restaurant of West Hartford; Chef of the Year went to David DiStasi from Materia Ristorante in Bantam; The Restaurant Newcomer presented by Brescome Barton went to 29 Markle Court, Bridgeport.
“The 5th Anniversary of the CRAZIES Awards Gala was a huge success for our association, for our industry, and for the tens of thousands of Connecticut residents we employ,” said Connecticut Restaurant Association President & CEO Scott Dolch.
“The energy and enthusiasm of 1,400 industry professionals coming together demonstrated that Connecticut’s restaurant and hospitality industry continues to be a powerful economic engine, accounting for nearly 10 percent of all jobs in our state,” he said.
Other awards given at the gala include:
- *Caterer of the Year, Café Louise of West Hartford.
- * Server of the Year, Meghan Zampedri from Fair Haven Oyster Co. in New Haven.
- * Bartender of the Year, Sam Reyes from Mariposa Taqueria in Danbury.
- * Pastry Chef of the Year, Franck Iglesias from Foxwoods Resort Casino.
- * People’s Choice, J. Timothy’s Taverne of Plainville.
- * Vendor of the Year, Seacoast Mushrooms in Mystic.
The awards were given before a sold out crowd of 1,400 guests.
The awardees were chosen with the help of an expert media panel and over 25,000 online public votes.
The event was attended by Gov. Ned Lamont, who offered words of support and
encouragement to the industry.
In addition to the award winners, the Connecticut Restaurant Association recognized Tony Pham & Rich Reyes of Mecha Noodle Bar as the 2023 Restaurateurs of the Year.
They operate five different Mecha Noodle Bar locations around the state.
Pellicci’s Ristorante in Stamford and Shady Glen Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor in Manchester were both inducted into the Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame.
House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora was presented with the Friend of the Industry Award for his “dedication and partnership to the Connecticut’s restaurant and hospitality industry.”
In addition to the awards, Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven was recognized for its restaurant management team winning a National Championship at the National ProStart Invitational.