NEWS RELEASE
DATE: Feb. 1, 2010
CONTACT: Kassie Hilgert, 610-332-1348 or khilgert@fest.org
SOUPER BOWL 2010 WINNERS ANNOUNCED
BETHLEHEM, PA—After more than three hours of intense soup sampling, six area eateries emerged victorious at Souper Bowl 2010, the sold-out soup competition that took place at ArtsQuest’s Banana Factory in Bethlehem on Jan. 30.
Souper Bowl 2010 featured 27 restaurants and caterers from throughout the Lehigh Valley serving up savory, homemade soups for the public to enjoy. More than 300 people attended the event, a fund-raiser for ArtsQuest’s B-Smart after-school enrichment program for area middle school students.
“The B-Smart educational program has been impacted by the recent state budget cuts; however, ArtsQuest is committed to continuing this important program because of the positive effects it is having on young people’s lives,” said ArtsQuest Vice President of Advancement Kassie Hilgert. “The proceeds from the Souper Bowl will help approximately 200 Bethlehem area students enjoy quality after-school programming and gain valuable job skills through the arts.
“We’d like to thank all of the restaurants, celebrity judges and the guests who came together to make this event a huge success. The support from the community was simply amazing.”
The Souper Bowl’s overall winner, determined by the public vote, was Northampton Community College’s Hampton Winds, which took home the People’s Choice Award for its Roasted Butternut Squash with Apple Sage Ravioli & Cardamom Cream. The soup was created by Chef Susan Roth and eight students from the college’s culinary arts program: Kyle Assise, Angela Grimm, Dan Kluemper, Meghan Macenka, Matt Paxton, Sean Rainey, Meghan Singer and Corey Trainer.
“I am very excited for the students. They are a hardworking class and are very dedicated to their profession. Plus, they are graduating in a month so it is a great boost for them as they enter into the workforce,” Roth said. “We’re hoping this will be an annual event. I already have an idea for next year to share with the new class coming in.”
The official Souper Bowl celebrity judging panel also selected winners in six different individual categories: Best Chowder, Best Vegetarian, Best Cream-based, Best Ethnic, Best Meat-based and Most Original. Those winners are:
Best Chowder: Bethlehem Brew Works- Spicy Potato Jalapeno Cheddar
Best Vegetarian: Hampton Winds- Roasted Butternut Squash with Apple Sage Ravioli & Cardamom Cream
Best Cream-Based: Zoup!- Lobster Bisque
Best Ethnic: Yianni’s Taverna- Magiritsa
Best Meat-Based: Blue Sky Café- Sausage & White Bean
Most Original: Cathy's Creative Catering & Café- Puréed Pumpkin Soup
B-Smart, a partnership between ArtsQuest and the Bethlehem Area School District, is an after-school arts enrichment program at ArtsQuest’s Banana Factory that provides at-risk youth with a fun, creative learning environment that enhances the educational experience. The program offers students personalized instruction in glassblowing, photography, painting, ceramics, graphic design and other visual arts. Surveys of B-Smart students have shown that the program has had a positive impact on participants, with students reporting an increase in grade point average and a decrease in absenteeism.
