Florida Restaurant Association Announces Restaurant Neighbor Award Recipients

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (Friday, September 09, 2005) - The Florida Restaurant Association today announced two state winners for the seventh annual Restaurant Neighbor Award and one Humanitarian Award recipient. The recipients include Chef Allen's, Aventura (small business category); The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc., Tampa (large business category); and Richard Gonzmat, The Columbia Restaurant Group, Tampa (Humanitarian Award recipient).

The program was created by the National Restaurant Association to honor restaurants' commitment to community service and innovative community projects and to underscore that restaurants truly are the cornerstone of local communities. Restaurant award winners Chef Allen's and The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. will compete with winners from other states for the national award to be presented in September.

"Chef Allen's and The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. are both examples of the generosity and philanthropy Florida's restaurants exhibit every day of the year in their communities," said FRA President & CEO, Carol Dover a graduate of Florida State University's Dedman School of Hospitality. "In addition, Richard Gonzmart of Columbia Restaurant Group was selected as this year's Florida Cornerstone Humanitarian, which is awarded to an individual who is an exemplary model of one who is personally dedicated to community service."

"The Restaurant Neighbor Award recognizes the driving force behind restaurants involvement in community service. It is a great way to shine the spotlight on and honor the many things they do each day to make our communities better places to live and work."

CHEF ALLEN'S
Chef Allen Susser of Chef Allen's, has been involved with the Share our Strength-Taste the Nation event for 18 years. In that time as the Miami Chairman of this organization he has helped to raise more than $1 million in the right to end hunger for children in south Florida. The Taste of the Nation is an annual event hosted in Miami and Chef Allen's is the primary community contact on this project. This year's event will include support from 42 chefs and 20 wineries which will donate their time, talent and product to the event. Monies raised from the Taste of the Nation to date, include $98,500 and in-kind donations of food and gift certificates estimated at $130,000.

THE MELTING POT RESTAURANTS INC.
Since 2003, St. Jude's Hospital has been The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. national charity and for its 2004-2005 efforts, was named Corporate Partner of the Year. Each year on a national fundraising level, The Melting Pot runs its system-wide Big Night Out for the Kids campaign. During the campaign - for each guest who purchases a Big Night Out fondue dinner or a four-course dinner feature, The Melting Pot donates $1 directly to St. Jude. The Melting Pot also runs its ongoing Fondue a Cure for Childhood Cancer promotion. With every purchase of The Melting Pot's fondue chocolate bar, $1 of the purchase price per bar is given to the hospital. The success of this program has been phenomenal. To date, The Melting Pot has raised more than $725,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and during the 2004-2005 campaign, raised and donated more than $400,000 to the hospital.

RICHARD GONZMART, THE COLUMBIA RESTAURANT GROUP
Richard Gonzmart, President of the Columbia Restaurant Group, Tampa, was selec ted as the recipient of the Humanitarian Award. Gonzmart has devoted much of his time and money to the fight against cancer. To this end, he created "Richard's Run For Life" a tax exempt charity dedicated to raising funds for cancer research and to raise awareness of what this research will mean to the future under the Gonzmart Family Foundation. Gonzmart's motivation to fight this disease comes from friends and family who have been affected by cancer and one 7-year-old boy in particular, Mark Desmarais. Mark is a friend and inspiration to Richard and has been the official starter for Richard's Run For Life 5K race that was created three years ago and has raised over $88,000. Gonzmart and his staff donate time to this event and others to raise funds for this cause. In 2004-2005 Richard ran five marathons and two half marathons raising money and funding a $150,000 study at the Moffitt Cancer Center for At Risk Women with Cervical and Ovarian Cancer. This year, Gonzmart's goal is to fund a $75,000 study of Pediatric Sarcoma. His infectious enthusiasm for helping others has spread to his employees who have formed Richard's Team. The Team has set a goal to run four marathons to raise funds for Richard's Run For Life.

The Restaurant Neighbor Award honors charitable contributions of restaurants in two categories. The Florida winners will contend with those from other states and be eligible for the national award, as well as for the Cornerstone Humanitarian of the Year. One grand prize winner in each category will be announced at the National Restaurant Association's Public Affairs Conference in Washington, DC, held September 12-13, 2005. The three winners will each receive a $5,000 award to help the restaurant continue its community programs and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for the ceremony.

The National Restaurant Association and founding partner American Express developed the Restaurant Neighbor Award to recognize outstanding community programs across the country and to inspire other restaurant operators and owners to do what they can in their communities.

"As the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award, American Express is proud to join with the National Restaurant Association in honoring the important contribution made by restaurants all across the country," said Hans Lindh, vice president, Restaurant Industry Group, American Express. "Whether through localized community projects or international relief efforts, restaurateurs are the driving force behind many charitable activities throughout the year. It's a privilege to work beside them and to offer this important recognition of their efforts. "

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