CHICAGO, April 17, 2026 —  This year marks the 72nd anniversary of the Gold and Silver Plate awards, the longest-running and most prestigious competition in the food-away-from-home business. The year’s top operators in nine industry segments will be honored with a Silver Plate. One of the group will be revealed as the best of the best, the 2026 recipient of the Gold Plate, a distinction synonymous with Operator of the Year. 

 

Industry veterans know the event is a highlight of the industry’s annual convention in Chicago. They’ve come year after year for the brush with greatness.

 

But even they may not know these details about the awards program and the event. Take this quiz and see how you stack up. 

 

Gold & Silver Plate Trivia Quiz

Think you know the awards program and the event? Take the quiz and see how you stack up.

Question 1 of 10 Score: 0

 

 

As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.

 
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A lifetime in hospitality earns Richard 'Dick' Marriott the 2026 Legends Award

From the time he was 6, the scion of the famed family has strived to leave his mark on the U.S. hospitality industry through smarts and hard work.

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What happens at the Gold and Silver Plate gala stays there, at least in picking the winner

Considerable color is added to the event by its adherence to traditions, one of them being a token bet on who’ll win the Gold Plate award. Here’s how to engage in that time-honored custom.

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How familiar are you with the Gold and Silver Plate awards? Take our trivia quiz to find out

Considerable color is added to the event by its adherence to traditions, one of them being a token bet on who’ll win the Gold Plate award. Here’s how to engage in that time-honored custom.

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Where are they now: Mark Freeman, 2012 Silver Plate winner

The former manager of Microsoft’s foodservice operations wants to air solutions to common problems across the six siloed sectors of “everyday foodservice.”

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Cinemark’s Sean Gamble is redefining 'dinner and a movie’

The Silver Plate winner has brought new success to his theater chain by having it function more as a restaurant.

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Authenticity is on Jeff Palmer’s mind at UC San Diego

Jeff Palmer, exec director of dining at UC San Diego and this year's College & University Silver Plate winner, is using data, sustainability, and a passion for culinary authenticity to redefine what campus dining can be.