B.R. restaurateurs bring home statewide awards

The Louisiana Restaurant Association has named Peter Sclafani and Ruffin Rodrigue of Ruffino’s as the 2014 Restaurateurs of the Year. Baton Rouge dominated this year’s awards. The Marino family, which has owned and operated Gino’s Restaurant since 1966, has been named Hall of Fame inductees. The 2014 Associate Member of the Year is Mickey Freiberg, sales manager of Capitol City Produce, and the 2014 Advocate of the Year is Rep. Erich Ponti of Baton Rouge.

In a press release, Ruffino’s co-owner Ruffin Rodrigue says the award is a tremendous honor.

“Let’s face it … our state is overflowing with extraordinary chefs and world-class restaurants,” he says. “To be singled out from among our peers is truly humbling.”

Rodrigue and Sclafani have been busily expanding their business over the past year. In May, Ruffino’s completed its $250,000 renovation of De La Ronde Hall on Third Street and has relocated its corporate headquarters to the downtown building. Besides serving as office space for Ruffino’s—which operates two restaurants, one on Highland Road and another in Lafayette that was purchased in May 2013—De La Ronde Hall is now a banquet and catering facility for Ruffino’s.

Meanwhile, members of the Marino family—Vincent, Grace (better known as “Mama”, who was also this year’s Business Report Hall of Fame Laureate) Gino, Laurence and Frances—are this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.

“With the exception of patriarch Vincent, who passed away in 1970, Gino’s remains 100 percent family owned and operated,” the LRA says in a press release. “From its first day in operation, the kitchen has been supervised by Grace Marino, now in her 90s, and Gino Marino likes to say ‘she comes with the furniture.'”

As Associate Member of the Year, Freiberg is being recognized as an industry supplier who has displayed exceptional dedication to and support of the LRA.

All of the award winners will be honored at a gala in New Orleans in the Napoleon Ballroom at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside on Aug. 2 at 6:30 p.m. The event benefits the LRA’s education foundation. —Staff report