Share: 

Paradise Grill wins Restaurant Olympics

Brody McMahon from Northbeach takes off in the inflatable animal race. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Dan Cook
August 11, 2023

The 2023 Restaurant Olympics were held on the bayside at Hyatt Place Dewey Beach Aug. 8, when teams battled for the trophy and bragging rights. The competition brought a large crowd out to cheer their favorite servers in the friendly yet fiercely competitive games.

Games included the Tray Relay, Linked In ball drop race, Inflatable Animal Relay and Dizzy Bats.

The Starboard Raw team arrived holding the trophy its members earned last August with hopes to repeat, but they could only garner second place as Paradise Grill took top honors and bragging rights for the next year.

Participating restaurants included Woody’s Dewey Beach, Big Chill, Paradise Main, Paradise Seaside, Paradise Companies, Dewey Post, Seaside Grill, Rusty Rudder, Northbeach, the Lighthouse, the Starboard, Starboard Raw, Starboard Claw, Somewhere, Cultured Pearl, Victoria’s Restaurant, Fins Downtown, Claws Seafood, the Blue Hen, Dewey Beach Country Club, Nalu and Bethany Blues Lewes.

 

Chloe Wilson from Claws gets spun in the dizzy bats relay.
Volunteer Bobbie Redefer, left, and Dewey Business Partnership Executive Director Kelly Ranier review rules on their phone.
Last year’s winners from Starboard Raw could only garner second in this year’s competition. Shown in back are (l-r) Pete Gilette, Pat Nolan, Ally Taylor, Blair Jost, Cat Monte and Kelly Greybill. In front is Alex Makowski.
Volunteers handing out Tito’s scarves are Sky Dunmyer, left, and Alex Guidice.
Volunteer Karen McMahon poses with the prizes for the winners and second-place team.
Nalu’s Jimmy Young hands off his tray to teammate Mary Phillips during the tray race.
Christina Urban serves as the mascot for Dewey Beach Country Club.
Emcee Steve Capik announces the teams during the competition.
The Claws and Fins groups got together before the competition. Shown in back are (l-r) Jim Roblero, Syed Myles, Charlie Morgan, Dillon Chipman, Justin Williams and Mike Loessne. In front are Savannah Stewart, Chloe Wilson, Marlee McGinness, Amanda Reck, Albany Wills and Liz Niaverka.
Nalu gets ready for the competition. Shown are (l-r) Brianna DiStefano, coach Heather Cilinski, Jimmy Young, Mary Phillips, Corey Hudson and Nick Rosado. Not shown are Nadia Bedford and coach Kasey O’Brien.
Dewey Business Partnership Vice President and Woody’s Dewey Beach owner Jimmy O’Conor raises the flag for the national anthem.
Chloe Wilson runs through the legs of her teammates in the dizzy bats event.
Emcee Steve Capik gets the teams excited during the event.
Dewey Business Partnership Vice President and Woody’s Dewey Beach owner Jimmy O’Conor raises the flag for the national anthem.
Lindsay Monigle of the Dewey Post drops her cargo in the tray relay.
Summer Stewart carries her tray for the Starboard team.
The Starboard’s Cameron Rickenbock powers to the finish of the tray relay.
The Fins team finishes the ball drop linked in event.
The Woody’s team celebrates the ball drop linked in race.
Nalu’s Brianna DiStefano rushes to the finish in the tray relay.
Some teams crashed during the ball drop linked in race.
The inflatable animals sometimes bucked off the riders.
Jamie Neidlein of the Paradise Grill races in the tray relay.
Eric Schefderr of the Blue Hen rides the inflatable during the race relay.
Dewey Business Partnership Executive Director Kelly Ranieri, left, and emcee Steve Capik review the rules for the events.
Paradise Grill’s Ryan Cressman rides the inflatable animal in the relay.
The referees and staff get a picture before the event. They are Jess Harrison, Mark Nordquist, Karen McMahon, Steve Capik, Kelly Ranieri, Rich Godbout, Tina Bauer, Alsiha Male, Bobbie Redefer, Stephanie and Zeke Przygocki, Jimmy O’Conor, Paul Bauer, Janine Stevens, Heather Allor, Michael Tillet, Brigid Sahmy, David Cohen, Kenny Garfinkel and Elizabeth Gibbings.
Leah Rigby of the Rusty Rudder rides the dragon in the inflatable relay.
Brian DeGroff of Big Chill relaxes after a grueling relay race.
Liza Ernst of the Paradise Grill team rides the pink inflatable.
Kelvin Reynoso of the Paradise Grill speeds through the inflatable course.
The Paradise Grill team celebrates its trophy with emcee Steve Capik. Shown in back are (l-r) Ryan Cressman, Alisa Clayville, Tanisha Washburn, Liza Ernst, Shawn Armstrong and Kelvin Reynoso. In front is Steve Capik. SUBMITTED PHOTO
The Paradise Grill team celebrates its victory. Shown in back are (l-r) Alisa Clayville, Liza Ernst, Ryan Cressman and Kelvin Reynoso. In front are Tanisha Washburn, Shawn Armstrong and his son Grayson. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Brandon Rather of Somewhere speeds through the inflatable course on a pink unicorn.
Somewhere restaurant squad members (l-r) Eray Eker, Umut Sevim, Brandon Rather, Hayley Wertz and Timesha Cannon work together during the ball drop linked in race.
The Lighthouse crew takes a break after a relay.

Most Popular

Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs. 

Most Popular