Diane Powers, owner-operator of Old Town’s Bazaar del Mundo, has been honored by the California Restaurant Association with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Powers received the award at the San Diego chapter’s 38th annual Gold Medallion Awards on Tuesday.
“This prestigious award not only recognizes Diane’s exceptional restaurateur skills and warm hospitality, but also acknowledges her significant contributions in shaping the local restaurant community,” said association board member Susie Baumann. “As a founding member of our chapter, Diane’s dedication has been instrumental in establishing and furthering San Diego’s dining scene.”
Powers’ career started in 1971 when she opened Casa de Pico in a run-down motel in Old Town San Diego. More than 50 years later, her restaurants – she owns Casa Guadalajara in Old Town, along with Casa de Pico in La Mesa and Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad – are home to award-winning Mexican cuisine, served up in vibrant courtyards and breezy outdoor patios to the soundtrack of talented mariachis.
A San Diego native, Powers is personally involved in most facets of the business, from the interior design and setup to the formation of advertising concepts and menu development.
In 2001, in recognition of Bazaar del Mundo’s success in attracting more than 6 million visitors annually to Old Town, Powers was inducted into the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Hall of Fame.
A year later, Powers received the Finest Service Award from the bureau for individual visitor services. She also has been unanimously voted into the Old Town San Diego Hall of Fame by the community Chamber of Commerce.
“We’ve had the pleasure and honor to know and learn from Diane over the past 40-plus years,” said David and Lesley Cohn, of the Cohn Restaurant Group, in a joint statement. “Diane is a true icon in our industry and has been a role model and mentor to so many.”
The Gold Medallion Awards ceremony serves as an opportunity to bring together industry leaders and San Diego’s most prominent restaurants to celebrate the area’s culinary accomplishments.
“I am humbled to receive this recognition from the California Restaurant Association,” said Diane Powers. “And I share this with the entire Bazaar del Mundo team, some of whom have been with me for many years – with their children and expanded families also working for our shops and restaurants – and it is their loyalty and passion that has allowed us to create memorable dining experiences.”
