10/13/2026
๐ช๐ฒโ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐ฑ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ!
Each year, the Iowa Restaurant Associationโs Board of Directors reviews candidates from across the state and selects 11 outstanding individuals in the hospitality industry. Edgar is among this yearโs honorees! Approximately 600 hospitality professionals will gather at the Celebrating Excellence Awards Ceremony, part of the Iowa Hospitality Showcase and Grand Tasting Gala, to recognize and celebrate these exceptional leaders.
The ๐ผ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฟ๐ง๐๐๐ข ๐ผ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ honors individuals who have achieved success in the restaurant industry through resilience, determination, and perseverance in the face of significant challenges.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง!
Congratulations to Edgar Barrios of HACIENDA LAS GLORIAS in Cedar Rapids, the Iowa Restaurant Associationโs 2026 American Dream Award recipient!
Edgar didnโt come to Iowa from Mexico planning to become a restaurant owner. He came hoping to pursue his education. When those plans changed, he took a job washing dishesโand discovered an industry he loved.
โI was a happy dishwasher,โ Barrios says. โThen the cooks brought me into the kitchen, and I fell in love with working with food and learning the recipes.โ
Curiosity and a willingness to learn kept moving him forward. Edgar went from washing dishes to cooking, then began bussing tables and hosting in part to practice his English. He bartended, served, became an assistant manager and manager, and eventually purchased Hacienda Las Glorias.
More than 20 years later, that same willingness to do whatever needs to be done remains at the heart of his leadership. โOne day I might be doing paperwork, and the next Iโm washing dishes,โ he says. โWhatever needs to be done, I do it so we can keep moving.โ
Along the way, Edgar and his team have persevered through floods, fire, lightning, snowstorms and COVID. Today, Hacienda Las Glorias has also become a family legacy, with Edgarโs daughter working alongside him and other family members going on to own restaurants of their own.
For building a life, a business and a legacy through hard work and perseverance, weโre proud to recognize Edgar Barrios with the 2026 American Dream Award.
Thank you to Performance Foodservice, sponsor of the American Dream Award.
Join us October 19 at Prairie Meadows to celebrate Edgar and all of our 2026 Celebrating Excellence honorees at the Iowa Hospitality Showcase & Celebrating Excellence Awards.
