Winners of Chowder Challenge Events

2014

Judges' Results

The 12th Annual Chowder Challenge, part of the Sonoma - Mendocino Whale & Jazz Festival, was held at the Gualala Arts Center on Saturday, April 12, 2014.

Chef Denise Souza (right) with judge Jeremy Crockett Chef Richard Whipple (left) with Director 'Sus' Susalla Friends of the Pizza Oven (FOPO) with Crockett & Susalla

The judging panel included local chowder aficionados Irma Brandt, Michael Combs, Jeremy Crockett and Hall Kelley. A large crowd filled the Coleman Auditorium to sample 10 different chowders in both Traditional and Open Class categories, created by professional and amateur chefs. At the end of the tasting challenge David "Sus" Susalla, Gualala Arts Executive Director, and Fred Adler, Whale & Jazz Festival Music Coordinator, handed out the various awards to the participants.

The Judges' Award for first place overall and best Traditional New England clam chowder in the Professional Category went to chef Denise Souza of the River Grill at the Garcia River Casino, marking the third straight year she has taken home the title of "Best Mendonoma Chowder." Denise's chowder also won the Most Tasted award based on the number of tasting tickets. Second place for Traditional New England clam chowder in the Professional Category was awarded to returning competitor chef Daniel Sanchez from the Pier Chowder House & Tap Room. The Open Class for professional chefs saw first time competitor Richard Whipple, Executive Chef at the Black Point Grill at The Sea Ranch Lodge, take home first place with his New England Seafood Chowder. Sanchez's Manhattan Style Chowder took second place.

The Amateur category resulted in a first place tie between the Gualala Arts Friends of the Pizza Oven (FOPO) culinary group - Jim Grenwelge, Jamie Edwards, Maurie Veys, Ben Klagenberg and Dick Balch - and Sonoma's Pam B and her Belle's Sonoma Belle's Chowdah.

The People's Choice award went to Whipple, stopping Souza's string of wins in this category at two straight (2012 and 2013). Souza did take second place in the People's Choice category, with Chef Mike "Bone Daddy" Thomas of Bone's Roadhouse and Pam B and her Belle's Sonoma Belle's Chowdah tying for third. Souza received her third straight Most Tasted award, followed closely by Whipple and Bone Daddy.

"Gualala Arts and the Whale & Jazz Festival want to thank the eight professional and amateur contestants for bringing 10 awesome chowders to the competition," said Susalla. "As always, the competition was tight and the chowders were fantastic. The crowd appreciated the variety and quality of the chowders, as well as enjoying the traditional New Orleans jazz performed by Barnebey's Hot Four. It was great to have both new and returning chefs, and we hope to welcome them all back again next year - and add some new ones!"

2013

Judges' Results

Chef Denise Souza (right) Sus Susalla (center) line cook Barbara Scarioni (left)

Pro Traditional

1st place: Chef Denise Souza
River Grill at the Garcia River Casino in Pt. Arena
Defended her title from 2012

2nd place: Chefs Aron Parks & Jessica Lau
Café Aquatica in Jenner

3rd place: Chef Daniel Sanchez, Owner Tracy DuPont
Pier Chowder House & Tap Room in Pt. Arena

Open Class

1st place: Chef Ben St. Clair
Alexander's at Timber Cove Inn
Corn & Shellfish Chowder

2nd place: Chef Tanya Radtkey
Black Oak Catering in Annapolis
Smoked Salmon Chowder

3rd place: Chefs Aron Parks & Jessica Lau
Café Aquatica in Jenner
Shitake Mushroom Chowder

Judges' Award - Best Overall

Chef Denise Souza
River Grill at the Garcia River Casino in Pt. Arena
Traditional New England Clam Chowder
Defended her title from 2012

Public Awards

Most Tasted

1st Place: Chef Denise Souza
River Grill at the Garcia River Casino in Pt. Arena
River Grill Traditional New England Clam Chowder
204 Tasting Tickets
Defended her title from 2012

2nd Place: Chef Mike "Bone Daddy" Thomas
Bones Roadhouse
Traditional New England Clam Chowder

3rd Place: Chef Tamarah LeFebre
Ocean Cove Bar & Grill
Traditional New England Clam Chowder

People's Choice

1st Place: Chef Denise Souza
River Grill at the Garcia River Casino in Pt. Arena
River Grill Traditional New England Clam Chowder
63 chips, all from Whale & Jazz not Garcia River Casino - we did check!
Defended her title from 2012

2nd Place: Chef Tanya Radtkey
Black Oak Catering
Smoked Salmon Chowder

3rd Place: Chefs Aron Parks & Jessica Lau
Café Aquatica
Traditional New England Clam Chowder

2012

Judges awards

First Place Professional Traditional
River Grill at Garcia River Casino; Chef Denise Souza

First Place Professional Open Class for Manhattan Style Chowder
The Pier Chowder House & Tap Room; Chef Daniel Sanchez

No entries for Amateur Traditional.

First Place Amateur Open Class for Salmon Chowder
Representing the Gualala Arts Culinary Arts Guild:
Ben Klagenberg, Jim Grenwelge, David 'Sus' Susalla and Fred Adler

Public Choices

Peoples' Choice Award

1. River Grill at Garcia River Casino; Chef Denise Souza (59 tokens)
2. Bones Roadhouse; Chef Captain Bones (28 tokens)
3. Culinary Arts Guild (23 tokens)

Most Tasted Award

1. River Grill at Garcia River Casino; Chef Denise Souza
2. Culinary Arts Guild
3. Bones Roadhouse; Chef Captain Bones

2011

Judges' Results

1st Place Amateur Traditional (New England style) Chowder
Sita Milchev - "Sita's Bulgarian Chowder"

1st Place Professional Traditional Chowder
Daniel Sanchez - Pier Chowder House & Tap Room,

2nd Place Professional Traditional Chowder
Corky Hadden - Sea Sprite Restaurant, Anchor Bay

3rd Place Professional Traditional Chowder
Phillip J. Kaufman - Sea Ranch Lodge's Black Point Grill

1st Place Professional Open Class Chowder
Phillip J. Kaufman - Sea Ranch Lodge's Black Point Grill
- "Manhattan Style" chowder

Judges' First Overall
Phillip J. Kaufman - Sea Ranch Lodge's Black Point Grill
- "Manhattan Style" chowder

Public Choices

1st Place: TIE
Corky Hadden - Sea Sprite Restaurant in Anchor Bay
Rick & Teresa Denniston - "Starcross Kin Worldwide Chowder"

Most Tasted (total of all tickets)
Corky Hadden - Sea Sprite Restaurant in Anchor Bay (146 tickets)
next most tasted was Rick & Teresa Denniston (145 tickets).

2010

Judges' Results

Pro/Traditional New England Clam Chowder

1. Sea Ranch Lodge - Chef Phillip Kaufman
2. Pizzas & Cream - Chef Julie Davis / Owner Kenny Jowers
3. The Pier Chowder House - Chef Mary Wesley / Owner Tracy DuPont

Pro/Open Class

1. The Pier Chowder House - Chef Mary Wesley for Manhattan Style Clam Chowder

Am/Traditional New England Clam Chowder

1. George Marshall

Am/Open Class

1. Team Susalla for Manhattan Vegetarian Chowder

Best Overall (of all entered chowders)

1. George Marshall

Public Choices

1. George Marshall - 49 tokens
2. The Pier Chowder House Traditional - 36
3. Pizzas & Cream - 30

Most Tasted (count of tasting tickets)

1. George Marshall - 285 tickets
2. The Pier Chowder House Traditional - 232
3. Pizzas & Cream - 217

2009

Once again on mid-day Saturday, April 11, Gualala Arts Center was buzzing with well over 200 happy, hungry, chowder and jazz loving patrons for the 7th Annual "Chowder Challenge" as part of the Whale & Jazz Festival's 2009 Chowder & Jazz event.

Eight competitors vied for the title of "Best Mendonoma Coast Chowder" as well as best chowder in their class (professional or amateur), and best chowder in the categories of "Traditional" New England Clam Chowder or Open Class, which includes all manner of seafood (or even vegetarian) chowder.

In addition to judging by the panel of "celebrity judges," this year 'Dinner at Six' members George Marshall, Sita Milchev and Paul Batchelder, event attendees chose their favorite chowder, a "People's Choice" vote that crosses both class and category lines.

Finally, a prize was awarded to the "Most Tasted" chowder... for the Chef with the most tasting tickets in his/her container at the 'cut-off' time.

Here are the results of this year's competition:

• 1st Place Professional/Traditional Chowder: Chef Justin Doughty of Timber Cove Inn
  
  
• 1st Place Professional/Open Class Chowder: Chef Robert Schneider of Sea Ranch Lodge with a chowder of locally foraged seaweed, wild-harvested watercress, locally-grown vegetables and Fresh Monterey Bay Squid!
  
  
• 1st Place Amateur/Open Class Chowder: Livelywood (Camille Gentry, Phil Kaijankoski, Erin & Keith Blackwood all from Napa, CA) with their Fresh Abalone Chowder
  
  
• 2nd Place Amateur/Open Class Chowder: Jim Grenwelge, representing the Culinary Arts Guild with his "Southwest of the Bridge" Chowder.
  
  
• Best Overall (Judges' Vote): Chef Justin Doughty's New England Clam Chowder
  
  
• People's Choice with 34 Tokens - Chef Justin Doughty's New England Clam Chowder
  
  
• Most Tasted with 210 tasting tickets: Chef PJ Pastina's Mushroom Chowder.

Second place People's Choice was a tie between Livelywood and Chef PJ Pastina, and third place was a tie between Jim Grenwelge and Captain Bones and his lovely "wench" (and wife) Mary from Bones Roadhouse. Capt. Bones and Mary were on hand in full pirate regalia with their traditional New England Clam Chowder, but participated for 'fun and frolic' and were not actively competing.

The delightful jazz music thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd was again provided by Barnebey's Hot Four... enhanced to a "Hot Six" by mid-concert with the addition of sit-in musicians Bill Gould, on piano (a part-time Sea Ranch resident), on and his pal Bill Carter on clarinet.

The chowder entrants and the logistics of this event are run by the remarkable Leslie Bates, who won this event the first two years running when she owned the Old Smokehouse restaurant. Leslie then 'retired' from competing and became Festival Chowder Challenge Coordinator. For the past five years she has been the key individual who makes the Chowder Challenge run so efficiently for the chefs, judges and consumers. This 7th Annual event was her last as coordinator, but not her last as contender. Currently owner/operator of the flourishing catering business, "Savory Coast," she is looking forward to entering the competition again next year.

Just a note attesting to the popularity of this event, Oklahoma City resident Jo Frazer flies out to her home on The Sea Ranch four times a year. For the Chowder & Jazz event, she purchases thirteen tickets so she can invite a dozen friends from Oklahoma City to join her! Talk about a dedicated Chowder & Jazz fan!

2008

Once again, the Redwood Coast Whale & Jazz Festival's Chowder & Jazz event was a major success. From 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., over 300 hungry tasters ebbed and flowed through the Gualala Arts Center sampling the Chowder Challenge's variety of Chowders from local restaurants and amateur competitors, tasting microbrews and fine wines from local and regional purveyors and listening to the delightful sound of New Orleans Traditional Jazz from Barnebey's Hot Four.

This year the field of Chowder Challenge entrants included five professional chefs and four determined amateurs. The Chowders were first judged by a 'celebrity' panel; Naomi Schwartz, Howard Curtis and Bernard Roberts, with the results kept secret until the end of the Tastings. In addition to the Judges' findings, there is a "People's Choice" award and an award of a $25 cash prize to the "most tasted" chowder. Place awards were dependent on number of entries in a class/category, first place for up to three entrants, two places for four to six. The judges were very impressed by all the entries, especially this year's amateur competitors.

Winners for the 2008 Challenge were as follows: 1st Place Professional Traditional Chowder went to Café LaLa (Chef Cyndi Hartwell), 2nd Place Pro/Trad to Rollerville Café (Chef Matt Wymer). 1st Place in the Pro/Open category went to Gotta-Cook (Laurie Kreger) for her Crab-Corn Chowder.

In the Amateur Class, the Open category winner was Livelywood (Camille Gentry, Erin & Keith Blackwood and Phil Kaijankoski) for their fresh Abalone Chowder. (The abalone for this chowder was provided by the two guys from the results of an early morning dive!) The winner of the Am/Traditional class, plus the People's Choice and Most Tasted Chowder was Gualala Arts Culinary Arts Guild's George Marshall. This is George's second year as winner of this class (photo at right).

The Festival Committee wants to offer special kudos to Leslie Bates, the Chowder Challenge coordinator (and former two-year Chowder Challenge winner), without whom this event would not be such a success. All the competitors were fabulous and we could not have this event without them. Winners will be receiving plaques and all participants will receive certificates.

It also took a considerable number of volunteers to make this the smoothest and most fun Chowder & Jazz event to date. Thank you all!

2007

• 1^st Place Pro Trad: Chef Javier Carbajal of Cove Azul Bar & Grill - New England Clam Chowder
• 1^st Place Am Trad: Culinary Arts Guild - New England Clam Chowder; recipe George Marshall
• 1^st Place Pro Open: Chef Sharon Gilman of Meza Grille - Manhattan Seafood Chowder
• 1^st Place Am Open: Team Susalla - Potato Corn Chowder
• People's Choice: 58 Tokens - Culinary Arts Guild / George Marshall
• Best Overall: Chef Sharon Gilman of Meza Grille - Manhattan Seafood Chowder
• Most Tasted, with 208 tasting tickets: Cove Azul's New England Clam Chowder

Judges:

1. Sita Milchev - Last year's Am Trad Chowder winning recipe
2. Jan Harris - "Chowder Challenge" Creator and Festival Co-Producer
3. George Bailey - Lighthouse Peddler Food Critic
4. Paul Batchelder - Local Gourmand

2006

Had more entries this year, 4 Pros and 5 Amateurs. Plaque Awards to: 1^st Place Trad, 1^st Place Open, People's Choice and Best Overall; $25.00 cash award for Most Tasted.

• 1^st Place Pro Trad: Chef Sharon Gilman of Meza Grille - New England Clam Chowder
• 1^st Place Am Trad: Culinary Arts Guild - New England Clam Chowder; recipe Sita Milchev
• 1^st Place Pro Open: Cyndi Hartwell & Ana Sanchez of Café LaLa with Crab Salsa Chowder
• 1^st Place Am Open: Paul Pastina - Scallop Chowder
• People's Choice: Tie with 36 tokens each: Meza Grille & Oceansong Restaurant
• Best Overall: Cyndi Hartwell & Ana Sanchez of Café LaLa with Crab Salsa Chowder
• Most Tasted, with 219 tasting tickets: Oceansong's New England Clam Chowder

Judges:

1. Naomi Schwartz - "Foodie" at Surf Super
2. Carol Anello - Owner Spud Point Crab Co. and winner of Bodega Bay Chowder Day
3. Tony Anello - Owner Spud Point Crab Co. and winner of Bodega Bay Chowder Day
4. George Bailey - Lighthouse Peddler Food Critic

2005

Had a drop in entries, but more Chowder Challenge attendees! No one went home with uneaten chowder! We had 5 entrants, 4 professional, 1 amateur, three "celebrity" judges, two categories and offered 1^st Place plaques for each class, a People's Choice and Best Overall.

• 1^st Place Open Class and Overall, Paul Pastina for his Smoked Salmon Chowder
• 1^st Place Traditional New England Clam Chowder, Chef Sharon Gilman of Oceansong
• People's Choice, Chef Justin Doughty of The Gualala Hotel for his Traditional New England Style Clam Chowder
• Bread donors: Twofish Bakery, Laura's Panaderia, Riptides Bakery
• Judges: Tony & Lisa Geer from Ledford House, Paul Batchelder of the Culinary Arts Guild and Howard Curtis, former owner of The Gualala Hotel and amateur gourmet chef.

	In 2005, Chef Justin Doughty, then of The Gualala Hotel, shown supervising the serving of his winning 1st Place People's Choice chowder, a Traditional New England Style. Justin also took a 2nd Place People's Choice award in 2004 as chef at the Sandpiper Café.
Chef Sharon Gilman, then of Oceansong, poses with her 1st Place Best Traditional (New England Style) Chowder at the 2005 Chowder Challenge. Her New England Style Clam Chowder also took 3rd Place in People's Choice in 2004.
	Gualala Arts Staffer and KTDE 100.5 FM DJ Liz "Lizzard" Redfield accepts a taste of Amateur Chef Paul Pastina's Smoked Salmon Chowder in the 2005 Chowder Challenge. Paul, who lives in Novato, CA and has a house on The Sea Ranch, won both the Open Class and Best Overall.

2004

Our second year we drew 8 entrants, 7 professional, 1 amateur, had three "celebrity" judges and offered 3 People's Choice certificates, judges "awards" for style and an Overall Judges award.

• People's Choice: 1^st Place, Chef Leslie Bates of Smokehouse Grill for her traditional New England Style Clam Chowder (also Judges' award for Best New England Style Chowder)
• People's Choice: 2nd Place, Chef Justin Doughty of Sandpiper for his Crab & Corn Chowder (also Judges' award for Best use of Local Product . . . crab!)
• People's Choice: 3rd Place, Chef Sharon Gilman of Oceansong for her traditional New England Style Clam Chowder (also Judges' award for Most Classic Chowder)
• Judged Best Overall was Chef Laurie Pedelaborde of Coastal Cooks Catering for her Manhattan-style Clam Chowder
• Bread donors: Twofish Bakery, Laura's Panaderia, The Food Company, St. Orres
• "Celebrity" Judges: Heidi Cusick, Mary Alinder, Rosemary Campiformio (St. Orres) and Anna Dobbins

2003

The first year . . . we had 10 entrants, all professional chefs in only one category and People's Choice voting only:

• 1^st Place: Chef Leslie Bates of Smokehouse Grill for traditional New England Style Clam Chowder
• Bread donors: Twofish Bakery, Gualala Bakery, Laura's Panaderia, The Food Company, St. Orres

The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA,
is open weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4:00 p.m.
Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information, or email info@gualalaarts.org.

Serving the coastal communities of northern Sonoma & southern Mendocino Counties.