Darden Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest full-service restaurant operating company, recently announced that Bakers Pride Oven Company (part of the Standex Cooking Solutions Group, Standex International), based in New Rochelle, N.Y., was one of 11 “William B. Darden Distinguished Supplier Award” honorees for 2009. Named for the company’s late founder, the award recognizes suppliers who go “above and beyond” to contribute to the success of the company. This year’s awards were presented at a dinner in Orlando on June 25.

Darden chose to honor Bakers Pride – a provider of high-quality commercial baking, cooking and pizza equipment – for supporting Red Lobster in the system-wide implementation and launch of its new Wood-Fire Grill cooking platform.

“Bakers Pride Oven Company played an instrumental role in the introduction of Red Lobster’s Wood-Fire Grill program,” says Barry Moullet, senior vice president of supply chain for Darden. “Wood Fire Grilling was the largest systemic change in the company’s history, and our partnership with Bakers Pride ensured a seamless transition for Red Lobster’s culinary staff.”