The RAMMYS Honors Linda Roth

Written by by guest contributor Marilyn Thompson

Linda Roth may not wield a knife or run a kitchen but without her Washington’s food scene wouldn’t be what it is today. She’s the publicist who gave the city its culinary voice and this year the spotlight was finally on her. At a cocktail reception at the Hamilton Hotel, The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington awarded Roth the 2025 Honorary RAMMY, celebrating her decades of behind-the-scenes brilliance. The evening toasted Milestone Honorees and industry powerhouses like Roth who’ve not only told the restaurant world’s stories — they’ve helped write them.

When Roth stepped up to the mic, it wasn’t just a thank-you speech — it was a homecoming. For years, she’s been the invisible engine behind some of the most storied names in American dining. On this night, she wasn’t pulling the strings; she was center stage. “There are some legendary restaurateurs here,” she began, before casually name-dropping an entire culinary hall of fame. Arnie Morton tapped her to open his first Morton’s outside Chicago. Roger Berkowitz trusted her with the first Legal Sea Foods beyond Massachusetts. Rich Melman’s Lettuce Entertain You? She helped bring it to DC. And then there was Al Copeland, founder of Popeyes. “What a character,” Roth joked.

It wasn’t just the legends she remembered—it was the loyal tribe. “I think there’s like half the room I’ve worked with,” she said, eyes sweeping the crowd with the warmth of someone who’s built careers, not just campaigns.

Though Roth built her name in public relations, she moonlighted as the industry’s unofficial scribe. She wrote the first restaurant gossip column for RAMW, then bylines for Food Service Monthly and the James Beard Foundation’s “DC Dateline.” “Phyllis Richman actually was the one that suggested I do that,” Roth said, giving a nod to the legendary Washington Post critic. She now writes for The Georgetowner.

That language — hospitality — is one Roth speaks fluently whether crafting the perfect press pitch or orchestrating brand roll-outs with elegance and edge.

For those eyeing a similar path, Roth’s advice is refreshingly real. “Put yourself out there,” she says. “Take the job, even if it’s not perfect. You’ll learn. And don’t overthink your résumé. Once I listed that I was a certified scuba diver, and it actually helped me land a job. Anything that sparks a conversation is a bonus.”

But perhaps Roth’s most important message is about the people in the shadows of the spotlight. “The industry is more than chefs and restaurateurs,” she insists. “There are contractors, drivers, bookkeepers, distributors, lawyers, valet attendants—entire ecosystems making a living off restaurants. And they deserve to be seen, too.”

As for her own culinary heroes, Roth looks to the trailblazing women who came before her. “Ris Lacoste broke into the old boys’ network. Nora Pouillon helped start the organic food movement. And Ann Yonkers transformed our markets. These are the women who paved the way.”

Still, Roth is quick to credit the team she built. “I’m proud of the work LRA has done with this multi-talented team of leaders,” she said. And at the heart of that team? Her longtime partner-in-everything, Anthony Hesselius. “Probably one of the luckiest things is I get to work for the past 18 years with a man whose passion for this industry is so strong.” Now president of LRA PR, Hesselius represents the next chapter in the company Roth founded from a disco that never hired her.

What makes this recognition so personal? “This wasn’t a public vote,” Roth said. “It was decided by our peers. We’re the background people. To be seen and appreciated — it’s a big deal.”

And deservedly so. For once, Linda Roth wasn’t the one telling the story. She was the story.

The 2025 John G. Laytham Exceptional Leadership and Impact Award was awarded to Virginia Ali and the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation. The 2025 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award was presented to Ruth Gresser, Chef and Co-Owner of Pizzeria Paradiso.

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