Patriot Seafood Wins Second Annual Chowder Contest at Swampscott Harbor Fest

Patriot Seafood of Salem claimed first place Sunday in the second annual chowder contest at Harbor Fest, held at Fisherman’s Beach.

The event, originally scheduled for Saturday but postponed due to rain, ran from noon to 4 p.m. and featured five local restaurants handing out free samples of their best clam chowder. Attendees were invited to vote for their favorite, with Patriot Seafood emerging as the winner.

Attendees cast their votes by placing tickets in the cup of their favorite chowder || Quinn Hitchcock

While each restaurant brought a unique flavor to the table, it was Patriot Seafood’s twist on the soup that won over the crowd.

“It’s not a traditional clam chowder,” said Chef Stephen James, of Patriot Seafood. “It’s got a lot of cracked black pepper and roasted corn in it. We’ve been making it for years and it’s been a big hit, so now we’re selling it.”

Other participants included defending champion Mission on the Bay of Swampscott, The Landing Restaurant of Marblehead, Sea Level Oyster Bar of Salem, and Dockside Pub of Swampscott.

Dockside Pub and Chef Ahmad Hamdi, who recently won the Salem Chili Fest back in April, served a chowder made with Ipswich chopped clams, dill, rosemary and thyme.

Sea Level’s team kept it simple and classic.

“We do a house recipe with fresh clams,” said Chef Kevin Nguyen. “We make fresh chowder every day.”

Mission on the Bay returned with its signature chowder, featuring bacon, potatoes, celery and onions in a creamy base.

“We’ve been serving this same chowder for the past eight years,” said Denis Pimentel, one of the chefs.

The Landing Restaurant, drawing on more than five decades of experience, also brought a strong showing.

“We’ve been doing chowder for 53 years now,” said Chef Junior Sanchez.

The event was organized jointly by the Swampscott Yacht Club and the Swampscott Department of Recreation. Recreation Director Danielle Strauss, who is retiring on July 10, noted the growing interest in the event.

“Last year we had three (participants), this year we have five,” Strauss said. “I think it’s bringing together a whole new crowd of people.”

Harbor Fest also included around 20 other tents featuring marine vendors, craft and artisan booths, food trucks, live music, and activities for children and families such as inflatables and glitter tattoos.

Families having fun playing with the inflatable basketball and football stations || Quinn Hitchcock

“We lost some of them (vendors) with the weather change up from yesterday,” said Recreation Program Manager Jacqueline Camerlengo. “But we still had a great showing.”