"If I could dedicate this award, it would be to all the dishwashers and busboys who've ever worked with me," Norman Van Aken said in his acceptance speech for the MenuMasters Hall of Fame.

Van Aken said working with the kitchen staff was the genesis for his New World Cuisine and made his cuisine distinct enough to be honored by Nation's Restaurant News.

MenuMasters Hall of Fame inductee Norman Van Aken, second from left, with Jim Goggin, Ventura Foods; Laura Viscusi, Penton Food and Restaurant Group; and Chris Furman, Ventura Foods

Members of the U.S. Air Force partake in the culinary celebration.

Sarah Lockyer, left, of Penton Food and Restaurant Group, with Clay Dover of Pei Wei

The Arby's team accepts the award for Best Line Extension for their sliders. The first month that Arby's introduced the sliders, it sold 29 million sliders.

Emcee Billy Dec pours a cold one before the party.

MenuMasters winner for Innovator of the Year David Barzelay, second from left, with Jim Goggin, Ventura Foods; Laura Viscusi, Penton Food and Restaurant Group; and Chris Furman, Ventura Foods

Emcee Billy Dec, at left, with Laura Viscusi of Penton Food and Restaurant Group

Hall of Fame Norman Van Aken, center, with his family. From left to right: Justin Van Aken, Janet Van Aken, Norman Van Aken, Joel Jacobsen, Jerle Moe

From left to right: Leon Castro, Church's Chicken; Charity Howard, Burger King; Elizabeth Rodriguez, Burger King; Tara Houston, Church's Chicken; Kevin Houston, Church's Chicken; and Ada Duque, Church's Chicken

Bret Thorn, senior food editor of Nation's Restaurant News, with emcee Billy Dec, at right

Jack in the Box's Buttery Jack burgers were recognized for MenuMasters Best New Menu Item.

The Penton Food and Restaurant Group editorial team (back left) Ron Ruggless, Billy Dec, Becky Schilling 

Front from left: Jenna Telesca, Sarah Lockyer, Bret Thorn, Tara Fitzpatrick

The Arby's team shows off its award-winning sliders.

From left, Emcee Billy Dec, Lauren Gruel of Slapfish, and Dan Bagan of Penton Food and Restaurant Group

Jeff Zwally of Jack in the Box, second from left, with Chris Furman of Ventura Foods, Laura Viscusi of Penton Food and Restaurant Group, and Jim Goggin of Ventura Foods

The Jack in the Box team

David Barzelay, at right, celebrates his team's win with Joe Sasto, at left.

Emcee Billy Dec, second from left, with Jim Goggin, Ventura Foods; Laura Viscusi, Penton Food and Restaurant Group; and Chris Furman, Ventura Foods

The Jack in the Box team shows off its award-winning Buttery Jack.

From left: Laura Viscusi and Monique Monaco of Penton Food and Restaurant Group, and Jim Goggin of Ventura Foods

The Melting Pot team accepts the award for Best Limited Time Offer for its Dip Into Summer promotion.

The team from The Melting Pot shows off its award-winning Dip into Summer menu items.

Bret Thorn, senior food editor of Nation's Restaurant News, at right with Bill Hart of Bubbakoo, at left, and Paul Altero of Bubbakoo's Burritos

Ellen Chen and Mario Del Pero of Mendocino Farms

The after party at the Drake Hotel

From left: Arturo Gomez of Rocket Ranch, Sarah Lockyer of Nation's Restaurant News, emcee Billy Dec and Dan Bagan of the Penton Food and Restaurant Group

Slapfish shows off its award-winning "clobster" rolls, made with crab and lobster.

The Slapfish team accepts the MenuMasters Award.

Sodexo won the award for Best Menu Revamp for its Crisol Latin Kitchen menu

Stanford University Dining won the MenuMasters Healthful Innovations award for Jamie Oliver's Cook Smart program.

Stanford served green chicken curry with fluffy rice, micro greens and snap peas.