The annual Beach Haven Chowder Cook-Off, held in Beach Haven, New Jersey, has crowned two local restaurants as this year's champions. Wally's of Surf City successfully defended its title in the red chowder category with its Rhode Island chowder, while Country Kettle Chowda won first place in the white New England chowder category. The event, which attracted more than 7,500 attendees, was jointly presented by the Beach Haven Chamber of Commerce and the Hunger Foundation of Southern Ocean.
The cook-off featured 10 competing restaurants, including Panzone’s Pizza, Buckalew’s, Chicken or the Egg, Mud City Crab House, Lefty’s, Delaware Avenue Oyster House, La Bamba, and first-time competitor Joe Pop’s Shore Bar and Restaurant. After final calculations, each restaurant is expected to receive upwards of $6,000, with a minimum of $100,000 being donated to area food banks and other local business initiatives, according to the foundation’s treasurer, Jetty CEO Jeremy DeFilippis who spoke with The SandPaper.
The event was a success, with attendees praising the new layout at the Taylor Avenue waterfront and the swift movement of the entry line. Despite the friendly competition among restaurants, the jovial mood was felt by everyone on all sides of the operation. Plans for improvements for the 2025 cook-off are already being discussed.