On Sunday, February 24th, UCSC Dining Services proudly participated in the 44th annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, competing with two exceptional teams:
The Chowder Slugs – Boston Clam Chowder
- Ryan Yates, Executive Chef (Team Captain)
- Ashley Hosmer, Catering Chef
- Breanna Van Otterloo, Nutrition Specialist
- Oren Peifer, Cowell Stevenson Sous Chef
- Hans Butler, College 9 John R. Lewis Unit Manager
The Redwood Sluggers – Manhattan Clam Chowder
- Jeff Wildenboer, Unit Manager Cowell Stevenson Dining Hall (Team Captain)
- Traci Takeuchi, Assistant Retail Director
- Dan Zola, Porter Kresge Dining Hall Unit Manager
- Victor Camarillo, Rachel Carson Oakes Dining Hall Sous Chef
- Bhaskar Gaddam, Slug Stop Food Service Manager
- Bill Prime, Executive Director
The teams also enjoyed the fantastic support of the UCSC Catering Student Staff, led by Catering Sales Manager, Sasha Nemchonok, Shift Managers Sarah Aluffi and Brian McQuire, with booth decor provided by Traci and Mirjam.
Each team prepared 40 gallons of their chowder or approximately 2500 servings
The crowd was incredibly supportive throughout the day. The Redwood Sluggers and the Chowder Slugs garnered plenty of “People’s Choice” votes, as chants of “Who’s Choice, the People’s Choice!” echoed in the air. Both teams earned enthusiastic praise from the attendees.
And the results were in:
- 3rd Place – Best Theme (decor) a first time award for UCSC Dining
- 2nd Place – Best Manhattan Clam Chowder (judged)
- 1st Place – People’s Choice Manhattan Clam Chowder
Since first entering the competition in 2004, UCSC Dining Services has now earned an impressive 25 awards.
A heartfelt congratulations to both teams and a special thank you to everyone whose hard work made this day so unforgettable!
