The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) recently honored its 2013 “Restaurant Neighbor” award winners. The Foundation’s “Restaurant Neighbor Award,” founded in partnership with American Express, celebrates the outstanding charitable service performed by restaurant operators. Award recipients received a $5,000 contribution to continue supporting their charitable initiatives.
Steve Paternoster, Owner of Scalo Northern Italian Grill in Albuquerque, was honored for his significant support of and contributions to non-profits and his local community. Paternoster has founded several charitable organizations, including Youth Matters, in memory of his daughter, to help teens in the children’s court system, and Haley’s Haven, a home to provide counseling, self-esteem classes and employment training for girls, which includes a culinary component.
