The Rhode Island Hospitality Association has long recognized “stars” of the industry. It was traditionally accomplished through an exclusive awards night only open to industry insiders, but this time there will be more recognition from a wider circle of supporters, including those of us on the guest side of the table.
The association has revamped its industry awards event into the ANCHORS. The awards will honor exceptional champions of hospitality across Rhode Island, inclusive of the entire industry, recognizing dedication, excellence and professionalism.
“We can’t say enough about our team and our champions, and we really can’t celebrate them enough,” said Farouk Rajab, the new CEO and president of the hospitality association.
Rajab pointed out the new awards title was not randomly chosen.
“The [acronym] stands for Awards of Noteworthy Champions of Hospitality and Outstanding Restaurant Service,” he said. “The ANCHORS are Rhode Island. You know, it’s on our flag. To me, an anchor is stability. An anchor on a boat is a lifesaver. When things are hard, what saves you is that anchor. So those people in our industry saved us businesses when times were tough.”
That insight sums up how the food service industry underwent a transformation in the difficult times during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when food service was all but taken away from us. We realized just how essential our restaurants, cafes and taverns had become, and our restaurateurs, hosts and servers were vital people in our lives transcending mere gatherings for coffee or breakfast or dinner. We patrons wouldn’t let them go, showing them how beloved they were, and we were all changed as a result. The association is to be commended for recognizing this metamorphosis.
The ANCHORS are not limited to RIHA members, which had been the case in the past. That is not the only significant change, as the element of surprise has also been added.
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REVAMPED AWARDS: Farouk Rajab, CEO and president of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, says two changes to the association’s industry awards are that honorees are no longer required to be association members and winners won’t be revealed until envelopes are opened on stage at the awards ceremony on Jan. 15.
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“I call it the Academy Awards style of award, where you go in and you don’t know if you won or not until [the] name [in] that envelope is opened on stage” Rajab said.
Select awards will be open to public voting, engaging the broader community in celebrating those who elevate Rhode Island’s hospitality industry. Award winners will be announced live at a ceremony on Jan. 15 at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort in an exciting Academy Awards-style experience.
The ANCHORS ceremony, which will be hosted by social media influencers Laura Afonso and Sascha Roberts from Honey Buns Social, will feature one significant winner per category. There will be 33 awards under the Rhode Island Hospitality Association Education Foundation. A student of the year will be selected and the RIHA chairman of the board will also be honoring the Hospitality Ambassador of the Year. There will also be a Community Service Award, named for the late hotelier Arthur Robbins, who developed numerous hotels and other establishments in Rhode Island.
Employers are encouraged to submit nominations for specific awards, while public input is invited through online voting for other categories, including the People’s Choice Award. RIHA has streamlined the awards, reducing categories to emphasize high standards and exceptional contributions. The association emphasizes that nominees and winners are no longer required to hold RIHA membership.
A kickoff celebration is planned at Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown on Dec. 2, where finalists will be revealed. Public voting will open on Dec. 3. Nominations are now open online through Nov. 26 at midnight. For more information, visit the ANCHORS Awards nomination page at rihospitality.org.
“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, is heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
