CHICAGO, May 19, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Chris Tomasso,
President & CEO of First Watch Restaurant Group, received
the coveted 2024 Gold Plate Award from the International
Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) at the close of their
70th Annual Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration. Tomasso was
nominated in the "Chain, Full Service" category by
Ecolab, Rich Products Corporation, and Royal Cup Coffee &
Tea and selected from the nine honorees who took home 2024
Silver Plate awards.
Tomasso was named Chief Executive Officer of First Watch
Restaurants, Inc. in 2018, after serving as President since 2015
and Chief Marketing Officer from 2006 to 2015. Prior to joining
First Watch, Tomasso led strategic branding and marketing for
renowned national and international brands such as Cracker Barrel
and Hard Rock Café International.
Tomasso was introduced at the awards ceremony by his mentor,
Chairman of the First Watch Restaurant Group and 40+ year
foodservice industry veteran, Ralph
Alvarez. "I first met Chris in 2017 when with a private
equity firm, we were looking to acquire First Watch," he said. "It
was an easy decision after that meeting; you invest in people, not
just businesses, and I felt with Chris and
Ken Pendery (late co-founder of First Watch) that we had the
right leaders to run the business."
In accepting the Gold Plate, Tomasso said, "I ended up in the
restaurant industry and it got in my blood. Everybody in this room
knows that once it's in your blood, it's in your blood. I love
what I do every day and I consider myself to be so lucky to lead
this great company."
The IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards is the longest-running
and most respected awards program in foodservice. Each year, a
distinguished jury of industry experts weighs the merits of
candidates who represent the best in the industry. Winners receive
the Silver Plate Award and one is then chosen by secret ballot to
receive the Gold Plate Award for overall industry excellence.
Past Gold Plate winners include Danny
Meyer (2000), Van Eure
(2004), Charlie Trotter (2008),
Timothy J. Dietzler (2010), Wolfgang
Puck (2017), Regynald G. Washington
(2019), Phil Hickey Jr. (2020),
Antoinette Watkins (2021), and
Lance Trenary (2022).
In addition to Tomasso, 2024 Silver Plate recipients are:
- Jen & Jon Corto,
Owners/Founders of Buffalo Strive in the category of Grocery,
Convenience, & Specialty Retail, nominated by Nestlé
Professional
- Roz Mallet, CEO &
President of PhaseNext Hospitality in the category of Travel &
Leisure, nominated by Ecolab
- Damian Monticello,
Director, Enterprise Hospitality and Event Services at Guidewell in
the category of Business & Industry/Foodservice Management,
nominated by PepsiCo
- David Reeves, System
Director, Food and Nutrition Services at Lee Health in the category
of Healthcare, nominated by PepsiCo
- Melvin Rodrigue,
President of Galatoire's Restaurant in the category of Independent
Restaurants, nominated by Ecolab
- Kirk Rodriguez, Senior
Director of Hospitality Services and the Student Union &
Activities at Texas Tech in the
category of Colleges & Universities, nominated by Ecolab,
Tyson, and US Foods
- Aaron Smith, Director of
Culinary Services at Seattle Public Schoolsin the category of
Elementary & Secondary Schools, nominated by Tyson
"Celebrating 70 years of our awards with such a remarkable class
of honorees was inspirational," said Phil
Kafarakis, IFMA President & CEO. "IFMA has consistently,
and I would say joyously, presented a star-studded galaxy of
paradigm-shifting leaders with these awards throughout our history.
All the winners are nominated by food manufacturer partners who
know their stories first-hand. I'm moved every year by our winners
and their accomplishments, and I was honored to help present the
Gold Plate to Chris Tomasso this
year."
IFMA's black-tie celebration for the 2024 Silver Plate Class and
presentation of the Gold Plate Award was held at the historic Great
Hall of Chicago's Union Station on
Saturday, May 18. The event was
emceed by the 2020 Gold Plate honoree, Phillip Hickey, Jr., and attended by several
hundred food-away-from-home leaders and luminaries.
IFMA solicits its members to nominate award candidates each
August through November. The 2025 Gold & Silver Plate Awards
Celebration will be held on Saturday, May
17, 2025.
About International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
(IFMA)
The International Foodservice Manufacturers
Association (IFMA) is a trade association founded in 1952. IFMA
empowers, nurtures, and connects an inclusive and diverse
$1.3 trillion food-away-from-home
ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, operators, and others. By
sharing insights, fostering best practices, and developing
networking and educational opportunities through events, IFMA
informs and instructs its members, and motivates change to improve
both individual organizations and the foodservice industry at
large. For more information,
visit IFMAworld.com.
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SOURCE International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
(IFMA)