This year’s Georgia Restaurant Association GRACE Award finalists and honorees have been announced.
The GRACE Awards are put on by the Georgia Restaurant Association each year to honor the state’s restaurant industry. This year’s GRACE Award Gala will take place on Nov. 30 at the Georgia Aquarium, according to a press release.
“This year’s nominees represent the incredible diversity of Georgia’s hospitality industry,” said Karen Bremer, president and CEO of the GRA, in the release. “The last three years have been a testament to our resilience as an industry, so it is important to celebrate those who continue to exhibit excellence, those who are innovators and those that continually give back to their communities. I am proud of the amazing community that we have built together, and I can’t wait to see where the next generation of restaurant leaders will take us!”
Finalists are nominated by their peers and are chosen by a group called the GRACE Academy, which is made up of former GRACE finalists and honorees and current GRA Board members.
Tickets to the GRACE Award Gala can be purchased online. The full list of finalists can be found below.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT HONOREE
- Robby Kukler: Founder, Kukler Restaurant Advisory and Cofounder, Fifth Group Restaurants
RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- Buckhead Life Restaurant Group: I. Pano Karatassos, Pano I. Karatassos, Niko I. Karatassos
- EPIC Restaurant: Jamie & Melissa Keating
- Fork U Concepts: Scott & Alexis Kinsey
- NaanStop: Neal & Samir Idnani
RESTAURATEUR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- Fenders Diner and Community Brew & Tap: Jay Reeder
- La Semilla: Reid Trapani & Sophia Marchese
- MAD Hospitality: Preston Snyder
- Rreal Tacos: Miguel Hernandez & Damian Otero
INDUSTRY PARTNER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- Full Course: Lauren Fernandez
- LC Food Distributor: David Troncoso
- NetFinancials: Kristina Howard & Lori Johnson
- United Distributing: Doug Hertz
HOSPITALITY HERO OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- Café Intermezzo: Brian & Page Olson
- Nakato Japanese Restaurant: Sachi Nakato Takahara
- The Gaslight Group: Brian Huskey
- Zunzi’s + Zunzibar: Chris Smith
RESTAURANT MANAGER OF THE YEAR
- Brian Steiper: BAR{n} Booze & Bites/Dash Hospitality
RESTAURANT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
- Matt Bryant: Sweet Auburn BBQ
PROSTART TEACHER OF THE YEAR
- Chef James Bryant: Berkmar High School
PROSTART STUDENT OF THE YEAR
- Haja Kabba: Benjamin Banneker High School