Fresno, Madera-area restaurant industry to honor best of the valley March 1

(SACRAMENTO, Feb.4, 2010) - The California Restaurant Association Fresno chapter will host the 2009 Best of the Valley Restaurant Awards at 5 p.m. March 1 at the Saroyan Theatre in Fresno. The event is open to the public. Tickets cost $50 and sponsorships at $450, $1,250 and $3,000 levels are available.

More than 1,700 restaurateurs in Fresno and Madera counties will vote on the awards in more than 25 categories. The Best of the Valley Restaurant Awards was founded in 1992.

"After such a hard-fought year for the local restaurant community, it will be that much more rewarding to honor the standouts," said John Pardini, Fresno chapter president and partner in Parco Holdings.

The ceremony will feature the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to the Mariscotti Family of the Vineyard Restaurant and Bar in Madera. The family has been a fixture of the Madera restaurant industry since the early 1900s. Robert and Helen Mariscotti established the Vineyard in 1976 and continue to serve fresh "wine country-style" dishes and cherished family recipes inspired by the agricultural bounty of the area.

To register for the event, go online at

www.calrest.org. For more information, contact Tom Ferdinandi at 559.432.0399, Ext. 202, or atf@milano-ri.com.