RAMMYS Awards Honors The Best of the Best
Alexandria, VA – What makes a great restaurant, chef, manager, or employee stand out even among the best in the highly competitive hospitality industry? THE 43rd Annual RAMMYS program gave some answers for this year’s awards competition attended by more than 2,500 people and honored the accomplishments of those nominated.
The 2025 RAMMYS, hosted by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, published a distinguished list from regional DMV nominees in more than a dozen categories. Many award nominees showed up for the glittering photo shoots at a red carpet pre-awards party. Among those restaurants (casual to formal) along with “gathering places,” individual professionals and other culinary award category groupings, only one award would be declared the year’s winner at the RAMMYS 2025 (ramw.org).
Held at the D.C. Convention Center on Aug. 3, the restaurant association’s awards version of the DMV’s restaurant industry’s red carpet—the sealed envelopes were opened to gasps, shouts, and exuberant applause. Excited attendees hailed the RAMMY winners–and then the serious partying began in the upstairs ballrooms with blaring music, flashing lights and elaborate displays, and creative food stations that kept the crowd more than happy.
Among those in Alexandria nominated for exceptional performance for the RAMMYS 2025 list were Andy’s Pizza for Fast Casual Restaurant of the Year, Atlas Brew Works for Beer Program of the Year, and Josephine Brasserie and Bar for Best Brunch of the Year. Also nominated for Manager of the Year was Lorena Reyes, the manager of the sister restaurant (in Foggy Bottom) of Founding Farmers, one of Alexandria’s newest restaurants which opened in spring 2025. Reyes, who made her residence in Alexandria-Arlington when she moved to the area from Atlanta, was the elated winner of the Manager of the Year nominees.
“I realized I really enjoyed people and Founding Fathers hired me as a manager at the Foggy Bottom location,” she explained. “I live near to the Alexandria location and it’s the one I go to the most. They have some items like sushi and other items like ceviche and different pastas as well, including the freshly baked croissants and donuts at First Bake (not currently at the Foggy Bottom location).”
Asked what philosophy she has followed in her culinary career, Reyes shared her “top three things: the food, the people, and the location… we’ve got to make sure we’ve got great food and great service for everyone.” She added that she was most grateful to her company, noting that “they have supported me and guided me and gave a great mentorship.”
Among other honorees, Carla and Wolfgang Buchler, owners of the renowned Heidelberg Bakery in Arlington (2150 N. Culpeper St.), were saluted for marking its 50th Anniversary in the Washington region’s culinary world. It was their first time to attend the RAMMYS and they were toasted like royalty.
“Owning the restaurant—it’s been great. People here are very well traveled and like to try new things,” Wolfgang Buchler said. “It feels like a small community in a big city. We’ve had people who have worked with us for many years. We’ve had people get their wedding cakes from us and then their children, and even some grandchildren now.”
Among the less verbally expressive attendees was a “Serve Robotics” introduced as Daryan—a self-driven, electric robot delivery cart—that rolled across the stage at the RAMMYS 2025 Award Presentation to deliver a requested beverage to host Shawn Townsend, president and CEO of the restaurant association. Townsend accepted the drink and said that after recent city council approval, people may start seeing the robot delivery carts around D.C. According to Serve Robotics, “since 2019, the company’s electric, low-mass PDDS have successfully completed tens of thousands of autonomous, commercial deliveries in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami.” The service integrates with delivery platforms such as Uber, restaurants, and local merchants.
It looks like the RAMMYS may need to create another category to accommodate future Daryans!
