LEDYARD, Conn. — Chefs, restaurants, and those in the hospitality industry were celebrated Monday night at the 2023 CRAZIES Awards at Foxwood Resort & Casino.
The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) hosted the sold-out event, with 1,400 people packing the casino to recognize the ability and talent of Connecticut's hospitality community at this awards gala.
The CRA was helped by an expert media panel and over 25,000 online public votes to honor 21 coveted award winners from across the state. The event was also attended by Gov. Ned Lamont, who addressed the guests.
President and CEO of CRA, Scott Dolch, said that the event was a "huge success" for the industry and for the tens of thousands of residents the CRA employs.
“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% of all jobs in our state," Dolch said. "The CRAZIES once again showcased the exceptional talents our industry has to offer, and we look forward to building on this success each and every year as we encourage everyone in hospitality to take part in this annual celebration.”
One of the most significant awards of the evening was the Overall and County Restaurant of the Year Awards.
First, the association handed out winners from each of the eight counties around the state:
- Materia Ristorante in Bantam (Litchfield County)
- Taproot in Norwalk (Fairfield County)
- Coracora in West Hartford (Hartford County)
- Strega in Milford (New Haven County)
- Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza in Tolland (Tolland County);
- The Essex in Old Saybrook (Middlesex County)
- Stone Row Kitchen + Bar in Willimantic (Windham County)
- The Port of Call in Mystic (New London County)
The 2023 Connecticut Restaurant of the Year winner went to Coracora, who earned the award over the other seven county winners and 24 total nominees.
The Chef of the Year award, presented by Performance Foodservice, went to David DiStasi from Materia Ristorante in Bantam. DiStasi took home the top chef award over a stellar class of finalists, which also included – Macarena Ludena, Coracora (West Hartford); David Standridge, The Shipwright’s Daughter (Mystic); Jeff Taibe, Taproot (Norwalk); and Colt Taylor, The Essex (Old Saybrook).
Newcomers also got their time in the spotlight with the Restaurant Newcomer award. The winner was 29 Markle Ct (Bridgeport) and the Caterer of the Year award winner was Café Louise (West Hartford).
The Server of the Year award went to Meghan Zampedri from Fair Haven Oyster Co. (New Haven), and the Bartender of the Year award went to Sam Reyes from Mariposa Taqueria (Danbury).
The Pastry Chef of the Year went to Franck Iglesias from Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket) and People’s Choice went to J. Timothy’s Taverne (Plainville). The Vendor of the Year went to Seacoast Mushrooms (Mystic).
The honors didn't stop there.
In addition to the voted award winners, the CRA recognized Tony Pham and Rich Reyes of Mecha Noodle Bar as the 2023 Restaurateurs of the Year. The pair own and operate five different Mecha Noodle Bar locations around the state (Fairfield, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, and West Hartford).
Pellicci’s Ristorante (Stamford) and Shady Glen Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor (Manchester) were both inducted into the Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame.
Connecticut House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora was presented with the Friend of the Industry award for his work and partnership with Connecticut’s restaurant and hospitality industry.
In addition to the awards, Wilbur Cross High School was recognized for their restaurant management team winning a National Championship at the National ProStart Invitational this past May, which is part of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
One of their culinary team students spoke to the crowd about the importance of the ProStart program, which is now taught to 2,600 students and 18 high schools around the state.
To learn more about the Connecticut Restaurant Association and the CRAZIES, head to their website.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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