By Dana Slone
The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) held their annual “Salute to Excellence” Awards Dinner on December 1, 2015 at the Mohegan Sun Ballroom. The event honored many of Connecticut’s restaurants, caterers, chefs and bartenders with more than 400 people attending the sold-out event.
This year’s Awards Dinner recognized Dish Restaurant Group as the 2015 Restaurateur of the Year, Ecolab as their Vendor of the Year, and State Representative David Rutigliano of Trumbull as their Friend of the Industry.
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented posthumously to Frederick A. DeLuca, the founder of Subway. DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant in Bridgeport. Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant of East Lyme and Marcia Selden Catering & Event Planning of Stamford were both inducted into CRA’s Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame.
“It is great that we have the opportunity to bring restaurant leaders from across the state together to celebrate the talent of our local chefs and the achievements of our restaurants,” said CRA Board Chairman, Phil Barnett of the Hartford Restaurant Group.
“I am thrilled to be honoring these superb restaurants, caterers, chefs, servers and mixologists, who have demonstrated a passion for offering outstanding food and beverages,” said CRA Executive Director, Nicole Griffin. During the event, Griffin introduced Sarah Maloney as the new Executive Director. Griffin will remain with CRA as a lobbyist.
The Connecticut Restaurant Association’s mission is to serve as the voice of Connecticut’s restaurants in advocacy, education and awareness. It is affiliated with the National Restaurant Association, and is Connecticut’s only not-for-profit representing the state’s restaurant industry.
Awards from online, public voting included Server of the Year, Kristy Mahler, Agave, Hartford; Casual Restaurant of Year, Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, Hartford; Upscale Restaurant of the Year, Fresh Salt, Old Saybrook; Caterer of the Year, Max Catering, Hartford; Connecticut Distributors, Inc. (CDI)/Pernod Ricard Mixologist of the Year, Dimitrios Zahariadis, Highland Brass Company, Waterbury; and Chef of the Year, Billy Grant, Grants & Bricco Restaurants, West Hartford and Glastonbury. Larry Cafero, Executive Director of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut (WSWC), served as event emcee.
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- Incoming CRA Executive Director Sarah Maloney; CRA Board Chairman Phil Barnett, Hartford Restaurant Group; and Outgoing CRA Executive Director Nicole Griffin. Photo by Brian Ambrose.
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- 2015 Hall of Fame Honoree Flanders Fish Market and Restaurant, East Lyme. The Honorable Paul Formica and his family and team. Photo by Brian Ambrose.
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- 2015 Hall of Fame Honoree Marcia Selden Catering and Event Planning, Stamford. Marcia Selden, holding the award, is surrounded by family, including Jeffrey and Robin, her children who are also in the business with her. Photo by Brian Ambrose.
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- 2015 Chef of the Year Billy Grant, Restaurants Bricco and Grant’s Restaurant. Photo by Brian Ambrose.
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- 2015 Restaurateur of the Year, Dish Restaurant Group, Bill Carbone and Dr. Paul Bociarelli. Missing from the photo is Dan Keller. Photo by Brian Ambrose.
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- 2015 Friend of the Industry, State Representative Dave Rutigliano, Trumbull with Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of CT Executive Director Larry Cafero, the evening’s emcee. Photo by Brian Ambrose
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- 2015 Server of the Year, Kristy Mahler of Agave in Hartford (in black), celebrated with the team members.
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- 2015 Upscale Restaurant of the Year was awarded to Fresh Salt. Stephen Tagliatela accepted the honor with his team. Tagliatela also owns the Saybrook Point Inn.
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- Jamie and Cheryl McDonald and the crew from Bear’s BBQ, won 2015 Casual Restaurant of the Year.
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- 2015 Connecticut Distributors, Inc. Mixologist of the Year, Dimitrios Zahariadis of Highland Brass Co., with his cocktail display of “Hacienda Punch” featuring Roca Patron Blanco.
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- Kelly Scofield, Business Manager, CDI with Amanda Pekar, Patron Portfolio Manager, CDI. Patron Spirits were used in the Mixologist of the Year competition held onsite.
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- Derek Vitale of Max’s Oyster Bar was runner up for Mixologist of the Year. Beverage Director Brian Mitchell of Max Restaurant Group assisted in serving the cocktails, which were voted on by guests.
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- Dave Fanelli, Key Account Manager, Hartley and Parker with Doug Preston, District Manager, Hartley and Parker.
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- The CT Lottery New Business Department showcased keno during the cocktail hour.
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- 2015 Friend of the Industry, State Representative Dave Rutigliano, Trumbull and Mark Guarnieri, Thurston Foods, Inc.
