EVENT DETAILS

Chicago Union Station: Great Hall
500 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60661

Date/Time:
Saturday, May 22, 2027
5:30pm CDT

ABOUT

In May, join hundreds of leaders from across the food-away-from-home ecosystem in the Great Hall at Chicago's historic Union Station as we induct a new cohort of remarkable industry icons into the pantheon of the Gold & Silver Plate Society.

 

 
NOMINATIONS

Accepting nominations for 2027 Gold & Silver Plate Awards 
until September 30th 2026

Nominate


 

2026 Silver Plate Winners

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY / FOODSERVICE MANAGEMENT
Jane Street
CHAIN FULL SERVICE
Texas Roadhouse
CHAIN LIMITED SERVICE
Inspire Brands
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
UC San Diego
ELEMENTARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Greeley-Evans School District #6, Colorado
GROCERY, CONVENIENCE & SPECIALTY
Casey's
HEALTHCARE
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS / MULTI-CONCEPT
Union Square Hospitality Group
TRAVEL & LEISURE
Cinemark

Here’s a Snippet of What to Expect

TRAILER

2026 WINNER

HISTORY

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Articles

"If there were a Foodservice Hall of Fame, the exhibits not to miss would be ones honoring past winners of the Gold Plate Award, the Most Valuable Player designation of the food-away-from-home industry.

The elite group includes some of the biggest names ever to grace the business-luminaries like Danny Meyer, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Trotter, "21" Club's Jerry Berns, and New Orleans' Ralph Brennan."

 

- Peter Romeo, Managing Editor, The history of foodservice is told in the list of Gold Plate Award winner

Gold & Silver Plate celebration offers a sharp rebuttal to industry bashers

A dead-end industry of last resort? Not to the stellar successes who gathered Saturday night.

Meet the icon receiving this year’s Legends award, Richard ‘Dick’ Marriott

He was born into the industry and a famous family, but the affiliation earned him a spatula instead of a silver spoon.

USHG CEO Chip Wade named 2026 Gold Plate winner

Chip Wade, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, wins the prestigious 2026 Gold Plate Award from IFMA, recognizing outstanding leadership in the foodservice industry.

How Chip Wade is putting his own stamp on Union Square Hospitality

Running a company while its founder is still actively involved can be a challenge. If that founder happens to be Danny Meyer, the Yoda of fine dining, a successor would have to be dumber than a rock to shun the input. And Chip Wade, CEO of Meyer’s U

Silver Plate winner and ‘Mealtime Messiah’ Michael P. Berry dies at 77

He earned his award for bringing innovation to his management of the foodservices of Harvard

Never been to the Gold and Silver Plate awards? Here’s an insider’s guide to what you’ll find

No other event is quite like it. Here are some of the reasons why.

What to Expect

Event Details 

Chicago Union Station: Great Hall
500 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60661

Date/Time:
Saturday, May 22, 2027
5:30pm CDT

The Evening's Programming:
5:30-6:30p – Cocktail Hour 
6:30-8:30p – Dinner & Awards Program 
8:30p – Dessert Lounge

Attire: Formal Attire

Selection Process 

Every year, IFMA The Food Away from Home Association puts out a call and receives a large slate of nominations from its membership and the industry for Silver Plate Awards. This year, we made revisions to the form, simplifying the process – and resulting in a larger number of candidates!

Education Foundation
Our Education Foundation is committed to giving support to qualified culinary, marketing, supply chain, and food science students. The Education Foundation distributes 100% of its contributions for ongoing growth of the food-away-from-home industry to promote the next generation of leaders.
Gold & Silver Plate Society
Society members, comprised of past Gold and Silver Plate winners, gather annually at the Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration in Chicago. During this time members welcome a new class of award recipients in addition to reconnecting with past winners.
Sponsor Logos

Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors