Congratulations to Gates for Taking Top Prize at Chowdafest in Soup/Bisque Category
Gate's Crab & Roasted Corn Soup was the top crowd-pleaser at the 2019 Chowdafest!
The 12th Annual Chowdafest, presented by Stop & Shop, was another record breaker. Both Pike Place Chowder from Seattle, Washington and Our House Bistro from Winnooski, VT won for a fifth straight year in the New England clam chowder and creative chowder categories respectively, each tying the record for consecutive wins. Gates of New Canaan won the soup/bisque category as a rookie in the event while Cast Iron Chef Chop House and Oyster Bar, also a first time entrant, won the vegetarian category with a soup aptly named after the restaurant.
Event attendance figures aren’t available yet though the crowd looks to equal the event’s all-time high of 12,000, as people attended from all over Connecticut, New England and all over the country to determine this year’s winners! The top three in each category are listed below:
New England Clam Chowder:
- 1st: Pike Place Chowder from Seattle Washington
- 2nd: Our House Bistro from Winooski VT
- 3rd: Hub & Spoke from Bridgeport CT
Creative Chowder:
- 1st: Our House Bistro from Winooski VT – Drunkin Pumpkin Chowder
- 2nd: Ribbon Cafe from Saratoga NY – Southwest Shrimp & Corn Chowder
- 3rd: Tarry Lodge from Westport CT – Montauk Chowder
Soup/Bisque:
- 1st: Gates from New Canaan CT – Crab & Roasted Corn Soup
- 2nd: Vazzy’s from Stratford CT – Savory Sausage Soup
- 3rdL Geronimo of Fairfield and New Haven CT – Shrimp Posole
Vegetarian:
- 1st Cast Iron Chef Chop House & Oyster Bar In New Haven CT – Cast Iron Soup
- 2nd: Saybrook Sandwich & Soup Company in Old Saybrook CT – Roasted Butternut Squash and Seared Pumpkin Bisque
- 3rd: Mystic Market in Westport & Mystic CT – Ginger Carrot Soup
Special thanks to those volunteers who have helped at all 12 events along with the student athletes from Sacred Heart University who pitched in for this annual tradition. Thanks to the National Honor Society students and Service League of Boys from Staples High School plus the park personnel who make Sherwood Island State Park the unofficial home to the New England Chowdafest.
The big winner when all is said and done will be the charity, Food Rescue US and the fight against hunger. Over 2 million meals have been funded through Chowdafest in the past 4 years alone and the event hopes to add another half million meals to that number. For additional information about Chowdafest, please visit www.chowdafest.org or email event director, Jim Keenan at chowdafest@gmail.com.
Chowdafest is sponsored by Cabot Creamery Co-operative, Chabaso Bakery, Chica de Gallo, City Carting, CT Bites, Copp's Island Oysters, Eight O’Clock Coffee, Even Hotels, Foods of the Vine, Hood Cream, Local Food Rocks, Lowe's, Lucy’s, Michele's Pies, Mi Nina Tortilla, MINI of Fairfield County, Natalie’s Juices, New England Dairy Council, People’s United Bank, Polar Beverages, PKF O’Connor Davies, Silly Cows Farm, Tetley Tea, Toast Point of Sale, Wades Dairy, Vazzy’s, WEBE 108 and Westminster Crackers.
