2015 Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-Off
This Saturday is the 34th annual Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-Off and Festival at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
The Feb. 21, 2015 chowder cook-off has free admission. If you want to eat chowder, tasting kits are $9 and include five samples plus a People’s Choice ballot. The cook-off is a fund-raiser for the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department. In 2014, the event raised more than $62,000.
Approximately 80 individuals and teams are participating, including teams from New Leaf Community Markets, Pleasure Pizza East Side Eatery, Solaire Restaurant & Bar, Seascape Resort, Ideal Bar and Grill, Parish Publick House, and Kauboi Grill and Sushi.
The competition features two divisions:
• Best Individual (Amateur) – with subcategories for both Manhattan & Boston varieties
• Best Professional – with subcategories for both Manhattan & Boston varieties
Teams can choose to compete in one or both of the Manhattan & Boston categories. They are also in the running for prizes such as “Most Original.” Some participants dress in costumes such as mermaids and scuba divers.
The 2014 winners included:
- Pleasure Pizza Eastside Eatery (awarded 3rd place professional by the judges in both Manhattan AND Boston categories)
- UC Santa Cruz Dining (awarded 1st place professional by the judges AND by People’s Choice ballot in Manhattan category)
- Ideal Bar & Grill (awarded 1st place professional by People’s Choice ballot in the Boston category, and received 2nd place in Most Tasted Overall)
- Silence of the Clams (Brian Edwards, Campbell-awarded 1st place individual by the judges in the Boston category)
On Saturday, the Boardwalk rides will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cook-Off Schedule:
10:00 a.m. Cooking starts & tasting kits go on sale
1:00 p.m. Public tasting begins (there is also a judges’ tasting)
4:00 p.m. Winners announced
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