Restaurant Business Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo has been selected as this year’s winner of the Texas Restaurant Association’s Excellence in Journalism Award, an honor recognizing media professionals who provide the industry and the population at large with an explanation of what’s happening in the business and why it matters.
The award was presented Sunday during the Lone Star Bash, an annual gala that’s part of TRA’s Texas Restaurant Show.
“Words, my old friends, aren’t helping me right now in expressing my gratitude for this honor,” said Romeo, who’s spent 40 years covering the restaurant industry. “It’s been a privilege to cover what remains an unparalleled engine of opportunity for individuals who can’t understand why anyone would want to work in any other field.”
In his current capacity, Romeo covers government affairs, labor issues and family dining for Restaurant Business Online. He also produces the retro-focused blog Restaurant Rewind and writes the Reality Check blog. He has won numerous awards for his work over the years. More recently, he has spearheaded coverage of California's landmark $20 fast-food wage.
Using the numerous sources he's gathered over the decades, Romeo frequently gets deep into the political machinations behind the most important regulatory stories of the day. His profiles of some of the industry's most notable figures, such as Jersey Mike's founder Peter Cancro or Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance Founder Gerry Fernandez, provide insight into their thinking and their personalities.
“Peter is amazing,” said RB Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze. “This honor is so well-deserved. Nobody covers the interaction of the restaurant business and government quite like Peter Romeo. This is a great testament to the incredible work he produces day in and day out.”
The New York resident was previously the editorial director of RB and its sister publication, FoodService Director, and served for 10 years as RB’s editor-in-chief.
He is also a frequent presenter at industry events like the Restaurant Leadership Conference, Menu Directions and the National Restaurant Show.
Romeo has also served in his four-decade career as executive editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and was a contributor to QSR magazine and the media of the National Restaurant Association.
Last year’s winner of the TRA’s journalism award was Pat Sharp, the restaurant writer and reviewer for Texas Monthly.
Romeo resides in the New York City suburb of Port Washington, N.Y., with wife Holly Klokis, three greyhounds, four cats and six chickens.
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