Each year, the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association asks the public to nominate the best in hospitality across the state. Categories for their Stars of the Industry awards include such honors as Restaurateur of the Year, Restaurant Employee of the Year, and Hospitality Champion of the Year.

This year’s winners included two from Charlotte. Miranda Brown, pastry chef at The Asbury, was named Pastry Chef of the Year after winning the NCRLA’s Chef Showdown in August. Brown, who worked under Ashley Bivens Boyd at 300 East before working briefly at Flourshop then moving on to The Asbury, oversees The Dunhill Hotel’s bread, breakfast pastry, and dessert programs. Her plated desserts are refined and layered in texture and flavor, often using unexpected ingredients such as corn or matcha.

Charlotte’s other winner was in the Restaurant Manager of the Year category: Mama Ricotta’s GM Vinnie Delillo. Delillo took the position of General Manager at Frank Scibelli’s first restaurant in early 2017. He studied at the Culinary Institute of America and is certified as a level two sommelier. He also volunteers with the Red Cross and fire department.

Last year, Charlotte swept the Chef Showdown, with Matthew Krenz (then at The Asbury) winning chef of the year, Ann Marie Stefaney (then at Heirloom, now at Rare Roots Hospitality) taking pastry chef of the year, and Amanda Britton (then 204 North, now Bardo) earning Mixologist of the Year. There were also four winners in the Stars of the Industry category. —Kristen Wile

 

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