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🌟 Sending you a joyful holiday season filled with the warmth of friendship and the delightful flavors of celebration! May your days be seasoned with laughter and your nights be a feast of memories shared with friends. Like a well-curated menu at your favorite restaurant, may each moment be a delightful surprise, and may the ambiance of togetherness create the perfect setting for your holiday gatherings. Here’s to savoring the joy of the season and relishing the special moments at life’s grand table. Happy holidays, where every friendship is a culinary masterpiece, and every gathering is a reservation for happiness! 🎄🍽️✨

With love,

The Memphis Restaurant Association

Quick digest of our newsletter:

• Sign up to be a food or beverage vendor or sponsor of our Food Festival Feb 4

• Photo of past MRA winners annual meeting

• Announcing the award winners

• MRA partners with Patrick Accounting on The Restaurant Grind Podcast

• Associate Coffee Club is Feb 1

• Membership renewals due for 2024

• Check out the recorded webinars on our website

• Sign up to be a guest or host on our upcoming Facebook Live interviews

Calling All Sponsors and Culinary Mavericks!

We’re gearing up for the ultimate feast at the Food Festival and Awards on February 4 at the stunning Kent venue, and we want YOU to be a part of the gastronomic magic!

🌐 Sponsors:

If you’re passionate about supporting community events and crave the opportunity to showcase your brand to a diverse audience, we have sponsorship opportunities waiting for you! Elevate your presence and be a key player in making this festival unforgettable.

This is our flyer with sponsorship levels.

Sign up to be a sponsor and also view the levels here.

Contact us with any questions.

🍔🍰 Food & Beverage Vendors:

Are you a culinary wizard, ready to tantalize taste buds and leave a lasting impression? Join our culinary lineup and showcase your delectable creations! To secure your spot as a vendor, simply fill out the vendor application form at the button below.

Let’s make this 2024 Food Festival and Awards a culinary extravaganza to remember! Be part of an epicurean celebration that will leave a lasting impression on taste buds and hearts alike.

Sign up to be a vendor here.

View the food vendor flyer here.

View the beverage vendor flyer here.

Past MRA Award Winners Met to Select 2024 Honorees

🏆✨

On Tuesday, December 12, 2023, all past MRA award winners were invited to the committee meeting at Sunrise East Memphis to choose our 2024 award winners. Present at the meeting were, clockwise from bottom, Sandy Robertson, Ernie Mellor, Ryan Trimm, Anthony House, Shawn Danko, Hale Barclay, John Seay, Jeff Dunham, Danny Sumrall, Oscar Vego. Present on zoom were Patrick Reilly, Jimmy Kiser, and Brian Edwards.

You can view all previous MRA Award Winners here.

Your Food Festival 2024 Award Winners

🏆✨

It is with immense excitement and pride that we announce the distinguished winners of the 2024 Memphis Restaurant Association Awards. This year, our culinary community witnessed exceptional talent and unwavering dedication, making the task of selecting honorees truly inspiring. These awards represent a celebration of the outstanding contributions made by individuals and establishments that have elevated the Memphis restaurant community. Join us in applauding the excellence and innovation demonstrated by our three deserving award winners.

Es con inmensa emoción y orgullo que anunciamos a los distinguidos ganadores de los Premios de la Asociación de Restaurantes de Memphis 2024. Este año, nuestra comunidad culinaria fue testigo de un talento excepcional y una dedicación inquebrantable, haciendo que la tarea de seleccionar a los homenajeados sea verdaderamente inspiradora. Estos premios representan una celebración de las destacadas contribuciones realizadas por individuos y establecimientos que han elevado la comunidad de restaurantes de Memphis. Únanse a nosotros para aplaudir la excelencia e innovación demostradas por nuestros tres merecidos ganadores.

We will be releasing a full bio on our winners shortly.

Marco Puerto – Restaurateur of the Year

AJ Jones – Associate of the Year

Jennifer Biggs – Lifetime Achievement

STAY TUNED for a chance for our community to contribute to their tribute videos with photos and video clips.

Patrick Accounting Podcast in Partnership With MRA

The Restaurant Grind Podcast

We love the restauranteur story – each one is different, but they have one thing in common: that grit & grind attitude to push through when things get tough. Join JD & Matt as they here a new story each week and tackle modern day struggles faced by restaurant owners today.

Associate Coffee Club

Associate and Vendor Members,

This event is for you! Network with others in the restaurant industry. We buy your cup of coffee.

Details:

Date: Thurday, February 1, 2024

Location: TBD! Looking for restaurants to host us!

Time: 8a-9a

Bring your business cards and your elevator pitch! Tell us you’re coming here.

Time to Pay Your 2024 Dues

Dear Valued Members,

As we approach the new year, we would like to remind you to ensure the continued success of our Association by renewing your membership for the year 2024. To make the process seamless, kindly log in to your account and settle your membership dues at your earliest convenience. (Thank you if you have already done so!) Your support is crucial in sustaining the vibrant community we’ve built together. Thank you for your ongoing commitment, and we look forward to another year of shared experiences and opportunities.

Best Regards,

Sally Fienup

Executive Director

Webinars

In addition to our recorded September Learning Summit,

We have a library of recorded education webinars that are free for our members.

Listen to them here.

Exciting Opportunity Alert!

Are you passionate about sharing knowledge and making a positive impact?

📚✨ We’re thrilled to announce that we’re on the lookout for hosts and speakers for our ongoing educational Facebook Live series!

This is a totally separate series from the Patrick Accounting Podcast above. We are excited to support and promote both.

🎙️🤝

If you have a story to tell, expertise to share, or insights that can inspire, we want YOU!

Sign up now for a 30-minute segment where our Executive Director will interview you, giving you the platform to shine and connect with our engaged audience. (Must be an MRA member to participate.)

🚀🌈

👉 Ready to be part of something amazing? Click the link below to secure your spot and be a beacon of knowledge in our educational journey! 🚀👩‍🏫

Sign Up Now by clicking this link.

Let’s ignite curiosity, spark conversations, and empower each other through the magic of education! 🌐🔥

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