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WRA Regional AwardsCelebrate our industry’s accomplishments! The WRA is excited to announce the third annual regional award winners from regions around the state. Scroll down to see the list of 2023 winners!
Champion of Restaurant Entrepreneurship Best Back of House | Best Front of the House Innovation Award |
Sponsored by:
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Champion of Restaurant Entrepreneurship (CORE)An owner/operator will be recognized for their contributions to Wisconsin’s restaurant industry in the following areas: demonstrated passion for and success in their business, committed community involvement and support of WRA through membership. Nominees should show strong leadership skills, business acumen, a knack for moving the industry forward as innovators and be well-respected employers.
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Champion of Restaurant Entrepreneurship: John Kavanaugh IV – LJ’s Sports Bar, Madison (Region 5)
John supports non-profit organizations with donations and food and beverages for their events and helps to support families and youth in the community. He is actively involved in Madison Area Crime Stoppers for the past 15 years and stands with the local police department as well as fire fighters and paramedics. He is generous, kind and compassionate. |
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Best of the House—Back of the House (BOH)Nominees in these categories should be inspiring examples of employees who demonstrate professionalism in their jobs and help to further the positive image of the foodservice industry in Wisconsin.
Eligible employees include staff from the back of the house. The award recognizes staff who exhibit attention to detail, calm under pressure, strong work ethic and leadership skills. |
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Best Back of House: Bobby Walker, Jr – Merrill & Houston’s Steak Joint, Beloit (Region 5)
Bobby Walker Jr. has been the executive chef of Merrill & Houston’s Steak Joint (M&H) in downtown Beloit since its inception in 2012. In his time with M&H, Bobby has been the backbone of the kitchen and back-of-house services for the restaurant as well as its catering and private event services. He is a highly skilled and experienced chef with a proven track record of success. He has a deep understanding of the culinary arts and is also a creative and innovative thinker who is always looking for ways to make delicious and memorable meals for guests. His work in the kitchen is truly what has led to the success of the restaurant and his dishes are what keep guests coming back for more. Bobby is a team player who is always willing to help others. Bobby’s caring spirit and heart for hospitality come naturally for him. He is ambitious, humble and likeable. |
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Best of the House—Front of the House (FOH)Nominees in these categories should be inspiring examples of employees who demonstrate professionalism in their jobs and help to further the positive image of the foodservice industry in Wisconsin.
Eligible employees include staff who have regular contact with customers. The award recognizes front of the house staff who exhibit outstanding customer service, strong work ethic, leadership skills and have earned the respect of their colleagues and employer. |
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Best Front of the House: Samantha Raspotnik – Draganetti’s, Eau Claire (Region 1)
Samantha has been a loyal employee and integral part of Draganetti's for over six years. She is well recognized as one of Eau Claire’s best bartenders with regular guests who come to Draganetti's to sit and visit with her, all the while she is running the "show" like a superwoman. Not many people can keep track of a bar, dining room, lounge, kitchen and patio all while entertaining guests and providing a calm and collected energy. She is composed, committed and welcoming. |
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Best Front of the House: Wayne Bartz – Eddie Martini’s, Milwaukee (Region 4)
Wayne has been at Eddie Martini's for 20 years in several capacities. He has shown the resolve to not only overcome any shortcomings he may have had to achieve a mastery of tasks, but has done so with grace and humility. He knows his customers’ names, their kids’ names, the entire menu, wine list and preferences/idiosyncrasies of individual customers. And he shows genuine care for everyone who works at the restaurant. He is dedicated, sincere and empathetic. |
Best Front of the House: Dion Russ and Amiee Anderson TIED – Buck and Honey’s, Monona (Region 5)
Dion is always fun and friendly and makes sitting at the bar waiting for a table an enjoyable experience. He shares his love of hospitality - and his sarcastic sense of humor - with everyone who visits the bar at Buck & Honey’s.
He has been intricate in helping open the Waunakee and Mount Horeb locations, setting up, organizing and stocking the bar along with being the core of the training team. He is someone they can rely on to cover supervisor shifts whenever needed, along with filling shifts at all locations. He is funny, hospitable and charismatic. |
Aimee Anderson is a staple in the Madison restaurant scene. From her early roots in the industry to her present day significant expansion of Buck & Honey's restaurants, there is no job she hasn't covered! Her infectious personality yields quality staff and creates a culture at Buck & Honeys like no other.
When not at a restaurant you will find her active on the Board of Madison Originals, a vocal voice in her Vistage Leadership Group, or accepting the award for Best Business Woman in Monona, WI in 2023. Aimee excels in managing a diverse staff. She is positive, personable and always finds solutions that are best for everyone involved. She's tough, but fair, and her witty sense of humor wins over staff and clients alike. She is considerate/respectful, personable and engaged. |
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Innovation AwardA business will be recognized for their new methods and creative thinking during the unfortunate shutdowns and difficult times we have faced during the pandemic.
Since the start of the pandemic, restaurants have had to stretch concepts beyond their normalcy and come up with new and innovated ways to keep their staff and public safe and stay in business.
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Innovation Award: Klaus Nitsch – Geronimo Hospitality Group at ABC Supply Stadium, Beloit (Region 5)
Geronimo Hospitality Group is well-known for its collection of restaurants, boutique hotels, and clubs, but when it expanded its horizons to sports and entertainment in 2021 as the concessions and catering partner for ABC Supply Stadium (home of the Beloit Sky Carp). As they say, it was a whole new ball game.
The brand new minor league baseball stadium in downtown Beloit offered the perfect opportunity to try something new – turning the team’s ballpark fare into a dining destination; a place where fans could come for the food and stay for the baseball, instead of the other way around.
Innovation was at the forefront of Geronimo’s vision for the stadium when they created six original concession concepts, putting their unique spin on traditional ballpark favorites.
These concepts were curated to create a fan experience that was unlike anything anyone has ever seen before, providing restaurant-quality food and top-notch customer service to the stadium atmosphere.
Throughout the year, the stadium team works to create unique menu items to keep things fresh with each season. From funnel cake fries and Wisconsin Old Fashioned slushies to pork mac and cheese, and nachos made with brats and beer cheese, there’s no shortage of innovation.
Post-pandemic, the food and beverage team needed to get creative to overcome the struggles that came with staffing shortages. They created Grab-N-Go locations that could be run by just one associate and implemented Kiosk mode at all the concessions, so fans had the ability to place their own orders. These temporary changes made a big impact on operations and fan experience, ensuring food and beverage didn’t miss a beat.
In 2021, ABC Supply Stadium was honored with Ballpark Digest’s Best New Food and Beverage Award for its creative menus and fresh take on stadium favorites.
Geronimo Hospitality Group is well-known for its collection of restaurants, boutique hotels, and clubs, but when it expanded its horizons to sports and entertainment in 2021 as the concessions and catering partner for ABC Supply Stadium (home of the Beloit Sky Carp). As they say, it was a whole new ball game.
The brand new minor league baseball stadium in downtown Beloit offered the perfect opportunity to try something new – turning the team’s ballpark fare into a dining destination; a place where fans could come for the food and stay for the baseball, instead of the other way around.
Innovation was at the forefront of Geronimo’s vision for the stadium when they created six original concession concepts, putting their unique spin on traditional ballpark favorites.
- Sausage Haus: a take on all-things sausage with sausage and bratwursts sourced locally, flanking the menu
- El Jefe’s: your go-to spot for street tacos, nachos, and more
- Wisco on a Stick: offering carnival fare like cheese curds, boozy shakes, and funnel cakes
- Big Philly’s: the concept reflects its name with a variety of cheesesteaks
- The Meat Ball: offering a tasty smoked meatball sub
- Pohlman’s: where fans can get classic stadium food cooked to perfection like burgers, chicken tenders, and other favorites
These concepts were curated to create a fan experience that was unlike anything anyone has ever seen before, providing restaurant-quality food and top-notch customer service to the stadium atmosphere.
Throughout the year, the stadium team works to create unique menu items to keep things fresh with each season. From funnel cake fries and Wisconsin Old Fashioned slushies to pork mac and cheese, and nachos made with brats and beer cheese, there’s no shortage of innovation.
Post-pandemic, the food and beverage team needed to get creative to overcome the struggles that came with staffing shortages. They created Grab-N-Go locations that could be run by just one associate and implemented Kiosk mode at all the concessions, so fans had the ability to place their own orders. These temporary changes made a big impact on operations and fan experience, ensuring food and beverage didn’t miss a beat.
In 2021, ABC Supply Stadium was honored with Ballpark Digest’s Best New Food and Beverage Award for its creative menus and fresh take on stadium favorites.
