The Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) is now accepting nominations for the 9th Annual Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence (GRACE) Awards, which recognize hospitality and foodservice professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields. All award finalists are peer-nominated and this year’s gala will feature new award categories to honor the various individuals that contribute to the success of the restaurant industry.
In the past, the GRACE Awards have paid tribute to some of Georgia’s most influential individuals in the industry including S. Truett Cathy, George McKerrow, and Ted Turner, just to name a few. This year, in addition to the Distinguished Service, Industry Partner, and Lifetime Achievement awards, the Restaurateur of the Year award will feature three separate categories including small/independent, franchisee, and large/corporate to ensure that all restaurant types are honored. Additionally, the GRA will be honoring individuals in the following categories: Culinary/Hospitality Student of the Year, Manager of the Year, and Restaurant Employee of the Year (front-and-back of the house employees).
“The GRA is proud to host an annual gala that continues to honor the most deserving in our industry and pay tribute to those individuals that help Georgia’s restaurants thrive,” says GRA executive director Karen Bremer. “Now in its ninth year, the GRACE Awards Gala continues to grow each year and is a great camaraderie of past honorees. The industry really enjoys coming together to celebrate all that Georgia’s restaurants have accomplished.”
The GRACE Awards is a great way to recognize and pay tribute to the leaders who have made outstanding contributions to Georgia's restaurant industry. In addition to a cocktail reception with signature drinks and a three-course dinner, the gala will feature live musical entertainment and announce the 2015 winners.
To ensure the GRA honors the most deserving of the restaurant industry, the nomination process is open to the public for a chance to nominate industry peers, employers, and/or co-workers. The winners will be announced November 1, 2015 at the GRACE Awards Gala to be held at The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta.
