Steve Davis has been named Restaurateur of the Year by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.  The industry’s top honor was announced at the association’s Annual Awards Dinner, held at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee in conjunction with the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo.

Davis and his wife Ardy Davis own and operate Ardy & Ed’s Drive-In, a well-known Oshkosh landmark where delicious food and homemade root beer is served by carhops on roller skates.

Celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, Ardy & Ed’s Drive-In is a landmark nostalgic destination for tourists and locals.  The Drive-In has received national attention for offering a unique dining experience. It has been profiled on the Food Network and named by Mazda as a “Top Ten Top Down” place to go in a convertible.  

The Restaurateur of the Year award is given to operators who demonstrate participation and service to the restaurant association, success within their own restaurant, and participation in community activities. The winner is quietly selected at a private meeting of past Restaurateur of the Year recipients and kept a secret until the official announcement at the Awards Dinner.

The Wisconsin Restaurant Association also presented Bernard Kurzawa of Bernard’s Country Inn in Steven’s Point with the Award of Merit for his service to the foodservice industry and longstanding support of apprenticeships in Wisconsin.  Kurzawa has served on the Wisconsin Apprenticeship Advisory Council for 17 years.

In addition, Earl Macha from Round Roof Supper Club and Kelly Lake Kwikstop in Suring was presented with the Chaper Hero Award recognizing his outstanding service to his local Wisconsin Restaurant Association chapter.

Wisconsin Restaurant Association regional Chapters announce the following Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year Awards:

LaCrosse Chapter (La Crosse, Jackson, Monroe and Vernon Counties)
Dave Lezpona
Ardie’s Restaurant and Lounge

Big Four Chapter (Outagamie, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago Counties)
Pat Walters
Fin and Feather Show Boats

Lake-to-Lake Chapter (Fond du Lac, Dodge and Ozaukee Counties)
Tom and Lynne Underkofler
Underkofler’s Supper Club & Black Swan Pub

Blackhawk Chapter (Rock and Green Counties)
Mathew Kealy
Kealy’s Café

Eastern Shore Chapter (Calumet, Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties)
Bill and Pam Gottsacker
City Streets Riverside

West Wisconsin Chapter (Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire and Jackson Counties)
Rose Hunt-Kienholz
The Restaurant Management Group

Milwaukee Chapter (Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties)
Joe Bartolotta
The Bartolotta Restaurant Group

- END -

The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo is presented by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and features hundreds of exhibits, unique competitions, celebrated industry speakers and a variety of business seminars.  Visit www.wirestaurant.org/expo for additional information.