LAS VEGAS, USA – Bar & Restaurant Expo (March 21-23, 2022) announces the finalists in each category of the 2022 Industry Excellence Awards, sponsored by sunday. Finalists in each category are recognized for their talent, integrity and commitment to equality, sustainability, community, and culture across the industry.
The Industry Excellence Awards are dedicated to recognizing, celebrating, and supporting the companies and individuals who make the independent bar and restaurant industry great.
Winners in each category will be announced at the 2022 Bar & Restaurant Expo on the Expo Hall Floor on Wednesday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m.
2022 Industry Excellence Awards Finalists include:
Bartender of the Year
- Brooke Rodwancy, The Gristmill Bar, OH
- Inga Tantisalidchai, OLEA, CA
- Josh Davis, Brown & Balanced, IL
Chef of the Year
- Nicole Brisson, Brezza & Bar Zazu, NV
- Rhonda McCullar, Uchi Dallas, TX
- Tim McDiarmid, Tim the Girl Catering, TX
Cocktail Bar of the Year
- drink.well, Austin, TX
- Rocks & Drams, Los Angeles, CA
- The Jones Assembly, Oklahoma City, OK
Community Leadership Awards
- Adam Orman, L’Oca d’Oro / Good Work Austin, TX
- Jeremy and Natalee Price, Taste of Tuscany Ristorante, CA
- Sam Mustafa, Charleston Hospitality Group, SC
Innovator of the Year
- Christie Lawler, The WITI Group, TX
- Lindsey Johnson, Lush Life Productions, NY
- Vyoone Lewis, Vyoones Restaurant, LA
LGBTQ Venue of the Year
- Bachelor Forum, Rochester, NY
- Downtown Olly’s, Indianapolis, IN
- Numbers Nightclub, Houston, TX
Most Original Concept
- Cosmic Gorilla, Cincinnati, OH
- Dad’s, Minot, ND
- Loro, Dallas, TX
Operator of the Year
- Barbara Sibley, La Palpa / Holiday Cocktail Bar, NY
- Leslie Martin, Bouldin Creek Café, TX
- Tara Gillum, Steiner’s Speakeasy, OH
Restaurant of the Year
- Carversteak, Las Vegas, NV
- Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, CA
- Lumi, San Diego, CA
Sports Bar of the Year
- Caddies on Cordell, Bethesda, D.C.
- Chatterbox Bar & Grill, Benton Harbor, MI
- Dawg House Saloon & Sports Book, Las Vegas, NV
All thirty finalists will receive 2 Expo + Party Passes to attend the 2022 Bar & Restaurant Expo, plus coverage on the Expo’s website, social media, newsletters and more. In addition, the 10 winners will be given a beautiful custom award, additional media coverage, and a VIP Ticket to attend the Expo in 2023. Winners are also eligible to become part of the judging panel moving forward.
For more information about the 2022 Bar & Restaurant Expo, visit barandrestaurantexpo.com.
About Bar & Restaurant Expo
Bar & Restaurant Expo, formerly known as Nightclub & Bar Show, has continued to evolve to mirror the fast-paced, trend-setting nature of the hospitality industry. The event has been providing the specific tools that bar and restaurant owners, operators, and managers need to grow their businesses, compete, and succeed in this hyper-competitive and dynamic industry. The Bar & Restaurant Group is a division of the Questex Hospitality Group which also produces VIBE Conference and the World Tea Conference & Expo. Follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.
About Questex
Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences.
