Community Corner

And The Best Chowder Goes To. . .

The Newport Yachting Center announced this year's winners of the 30th Annual Chowder Cook-Off.

Thousands of chowder lovers savored the sumptuous soups of the best chefs at the held Saturday at the Newport Yachting Center on 4 Commercial Wharf.  But they also had a job to do, to determine who was going to take home the coveted titles of “Best Clam,” “Best Seafood” and “Best Creative” chowder and thousands in prize money.

The winners are:

The 2011 Best Clam Chowder

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  • 1st Place – Tony’s Cedar Key Clam Chowder, Cedar Key, FL and chef, Eric Jungklaus
  • 2nd Place – Stefano’s Seafood Restaurant, Long Beach Island, NJ and chef, Stephen DiPietro
  • 3rd Place – Ocean Breeze Cafe, Newport, RI and chef, Christine Melucci

The 2011 Best Seafood Chowder

  • 1st Place – Michael’s Seafood Restaurant, Carolina Beach, NC and chef, Michael McGowan
  • 2nd Place – Melville Grille, Portsmouth, RI, and chef, W. Scott Cowell, III
  • 3rd Place – Castle Hill Inn, Newport, RI and chef, Jonathan Cambra

The 2011 Best Creative Chowder

  • 1st Place – The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, Newport, RI and chef, Rob Deluise
  • 2nd Place – 22 Bowens Wine Bar & Grille, Newport, RI and chef, Jay Bourassa
  • 3rd Place – Trio, Narragansett, RI and chef, Mike Conetta

Most Spirited Team Winner

  • Bobette’s Take Out Bistro, Milford, CT

Best Decorated Booth Winner

  • Melville Grille, Portsmouth, RI

Thick Competition

“It was a thick day of competition,“ said Mike Martin, Festival Director for the Newport Yachting Center.  “Both Tony’s from Florida and Michael’s from North Carolina were inducted into the Great Chowder Cook-Off Hall of Fame for winning a third time and a local favorite, The Mooring, rose to the top in the ‘Best Creative’ chowder category.”  Martin also added that the real winners were the thousands who came out to enjoy all the chowder and entertainment, as well as the local charities that benefited from the event.

The highly anticipated competition boasts 3,000 gallons of delicious chowder prepared by the nation's best chefs who serve samples of their sumptuous creations to the thousands of chowder loving festival attendees who double as judges.  Chefs compete for the coveted titles of "Best Clam," "Best Seafood," and "Best Creative" chowder with prize money being awarded to the top three winners in each category.

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For more information, please contact the Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf, Newport, RI 02840. Tel: (401) 846-1600. Web: www.newportwaterfrontevents.com.


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