Dirona, NRAEF Host Scholarship Luncheon

The Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) will co-host this year's annual Scholarship Luncheon with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The scholarships awarded at the luncheon benefit undergraduate students pursuing careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry.

The award ceremony, to be held May 25 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago, will coincide with the National Restaurant Association's 85th Annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. At the luncheon, 12 outstanding culinary students will each be presented with a $2,000 scholarship.

In 1989, DiRoNA established an endowment fund with the NRAEF to encourage students to pursue careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Since then, DiRoNA and the NRAEF have recognized more than 125 students with scholarship awards. Annually, DiRoNA honors its key industry partners, media patrons and past chairmen through the scholarship program. This year, DiRoNA will name scholarships in recognition of Starbucks Coffee Company, Coca-Cola Fountain, Oneida, American Express Company, and Johnson & Wales University, along with Food Arts Magazine and Nation's Restaurant News. Past DiRoNA chairmen honored this year include Paul Athanas of Anthony's Pier 4 in Swampscott, MA; John Folse of Lafitte's Landing in Donaldson, LA; Kurt Knowles of The Manor in West Orange, NJ; and Rick Powers of Beverly's Restaurant in Cour D'Alene, ID.

Mary M. Adolf, NRAEF President and Chief Operating Officer, DiRoNA Scholarship Chairman Ted Balestreri, and DiRoNA Chairman David Stockman will present the awards. "DiRoNA is incredibly pleased to be offering industry scholarships in partnership with the NRAEF," Balestreri noted in announcing the awards. "The future of our industry rests in today's young foodservice professionals, and it is important that we mentor and support their education in the foodservice industry. We look forward to publicly acknowledging our scholarship winners' achievements during our annual awards luncheon, and to hosting this wonderful affair."

"DiRoNA's support of the NRAEF's Scholarships and Mentoring Initiative enables young people interested in fine dining the opportunity to fulfill their dreams," said Mary M. Adolf, president and COO of the NRAEF. "It is with great pride that we present these scholarships to these exceptional students."

In addition to their work with the DiRoNA organization, Balestreri is co-founder of The Sardine Factory, a DiRoNA award-winning restaurant in Monterey, California. Stockman is senior vice president of Lawry's Restaurants, Inc.

Undergraduate students with at least 750 hours of work experience in the restaurant and foodservice industry are encouraged to apply for the scholarships. Interested students can visit DiRoNA on the Internet at www.dirona.com for additional information on the Scholarship Program. Students can also find this information on the Web site of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation at www.nraef.org

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About DiRoNA
DiRoNA was established in 1990 to promote the fine dining industry. This non-profit organization conducts independent restaurant inspections and offers the only fine dining guarantee in North America. The DiRoNA Award of Excellence is bestowed upon only the most distinguished fine dining establishments. To be eligible, restaurants must be in operation, under the same ownership, for a minimum of three years. The rigorous 75-point inspection process scrutinizes every aspect of the dining experience-food, wine, service, physical property and dicor. To date, nearly 800 restaurants have received the DiRoNA Award.

About the NRAEF
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the N