WILMINGTON – When Carl and Lisa Georigi opened Eclipse in December 1996, the couple had a toddler and a second child on the way. Nevertheless, they’d emptied their bank account and maxed out their credit cards to fund the new business. They used décor from their own home, including plants.
The risk paid off. The Little Italy restaurant was the launchpad for Platinum Dining Group which now has seven locations and 540 employees.
The Georigis were among hospitality leaders honored by the Delaware Restaurant Association (DRA) at the annual Cornerstone Awards held on Monday, Oct. 5 at 1313 N. Market St., better known as the Hercules Building, in Wilmington.
This year’s awards recognized decades of dedication, a fresh approach to restaurant ownership and the everyday effort to make guests feel welcome.
A Cause for Celebration
More than 400 attendees gathered in the expansive lobby to sample food from 15 restaurants and five beverage distributors. It was the first time the event was held in Wilmington since before the pandemic. Most recently, it took place in Dewey Beach.
“The decision to move was really because we are a statewide organization and we wanted to bring it north again,” DRA President and CEO Carrie Leishman said a few days after the event. “It was a unique and special vibe at the Hercules building.”
Restaurant workers are often too busy to socialize, so the event felt jubilant. The cocktail party paused for the awards which included videos for each honoree. Leishman and Board Chair Mike Stiglitz of Two Stones Pub were the masters of ceremonies.
The Cornerstone Award recognizes longevity and lifetime achievement which certainly applies to Platinum Dining Group.
At the podium, Carl Georigi recognized his wife’s behind-the-scenes work by stating, “She shuns the spotlight, but she’s equally responsible as I am for standing up here.”
A Dream Takes Shape
The Restaurateur of the Year award recognizes an establishment that “everyone is talking about,” Leishman says. Evidently, that is Shorebreak Lodge in Rehoboth Beach, now owned by Ben and Diane Winiarczyk.
The couple did not follow the traditional restaurant career path. Ben owned BLIT Interactive, a gaming and animation company; Diane has a background in risk management. After moving to the beach, Ben began bartending part time at Shorebreak, and Diane handled the restaurant’s books. When the establishment became available, they jumped at the chance.
They view Shorebreak Lodge as a place where guests connect over food, drinks and conversation.
“Eating is community, right? We bring our family here. We bring our friends here. This is a space where we share conversations and visions and dreams,” Diane said in the video.
A Voice for the Industry
Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, co-owner of V&M Bistro in Brandywine Hundred, received the Industry Impact Award.
During the pandemic, she worked with the Delaware Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association to speak on behalf of the industry’s challenges.
“As a restaurateur and a community leader, it is our responsibility to use our voice in a positive way,” Carrieri-Russo said at the event.
However, Carrieri-Russo’s community work began before opening V&M Bistro. In 2002, at 18, she co-founded Success Won’t Wait, a Wilmington literacy nonprofit that collects and redistributes donated books. Her service earned national recognition, including a Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for public service.
As executive state director of Miss Delaware USA and Miss Delaware Teen USA, she promotes young women’s confidence, leadership, and community involvement. She also co-hosts “Good Morning Delaware” on DETV.
Service Worth Celebrating
The inaugural Excellence in Service Award went to Pat Price Mutchler, a server at Nicola Pizza in Lewes, and Ryan Minnick, a bartender at Bethany Blues in Lewes and Stingray Sushi Bar in Rehoboth Beach.
Mutchler’s tribute highlighted her willingness to help coworkers and anticipate what people need. Minnick was recognized for making customers feel welcome.
He’s also a well-known local mixologist who placed eighth in a national bartending competition sponsored by Dos Hombres Mezcal. The event raised $14,000 for the Kind Campaign, an anti-bullying nonprofit.
Minnick’s efforts reflect the industry’s commitment to community beyond the dining room, a mission Carl Georigi described when discussing how restaurants step up in times of need.
“Restaurants always get the first call,” he said, “and we always respond.”
Dining and Cooking