Richard was named 2002 Chef of the Year, and Citronelle was named the city�s Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.  The Latham Hotel Georgetown at 3000 M St., N.W. in downtown Washington, D.C., is managed by MeriStar Hotels & Resorts. Winners were announced at the association�s 20th Annual Capital Restaurant and Hospitality Awards Gala held on Sunday, June 23, at the

Chef Michel Richard

�This is the first time since we began the awards program that the Chef of the Year and the Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year have been �under one roof,� so to speak,� said Lynne Breaux, RAMW executive director.  �Washington has so many wonderful and sophisticated restaurants that to receive such a double recognition is quite an achievement.�

French-born Chef Michel Richard began his career as a pastry chef, and after arriving in New York to ply his trade, migrated to California where he later opened the highly acclaimed Citrus restaurant in Los Angeles and the original Citronelle in Santa Barbara.  When he relocated to D.C. in 1998, he opened Michel Richard Citronelle in The Latham Hotel and, in partnership with MeriStar, invested $2 million to renovate the kitchen and dining room.  Today, he is the resident chef of Michel Richard Citronelle, where he has earned a stellar reputation as one of the nation�s most creative French-trained chefs, as well as a number of national awards for his restaurant.  Among other honors, Citronelle was named one of the top 50 restaurants in the nation by Gourmet magazine in October 2001.

�MeriStar and Michel Richard have been partners for more than 10 years,� said Paul Whetsell, MeriStar chairman and chief executive officer.  �The quality of his work has earned him enormous critical acclaim internationally, and this award further recognizes his talents.  MeriStar�s approach to food and beverage is to create the right facility for each of our managed hotels, and Michel Richard Citronelle represents the perfect recipe for The Latham.�

According to RAMW awards criteria, Chef of the Year is presented to �a working chef who demonstrates consistent standards of excellence, serves as an inspiration to other food professionals, and exhibits an ongoing commitment to the community.�  Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year is �a restaurant that demonstrates a high standard of quality and excellence in food, service and atmosphere and shows dedication to the community.�

MeriStar Hotels & Resorts operates 276 hospitality properties with more than 58,000 rooms in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada, including 55 properties managed by Flagstone Hospitality Management, a subsidiary of MeriStar Hotels & Resorts.  BridgeStreet Corporate Housing Worldwide, a MeriStar subsidiary, is one of the world�s largest corporate housing providers, offering upscale, fully furnished corporate housing throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and 39 additional countries through its network partners.