Lewes FD wins inaugural Hook & Ladder chili challenge
Lewes firefighters won bragging rights in the inaugural Crooked Hammock Hook & Ladder Crooked Chili Challenge.
Lewes faced off against Milton firefighters for the best crockpot concoction Sept. 9.
Chet Reynolds and R.J. Kauffman of Lewes Station 2 took home the first-place trophy.
“There are no secret ingredients,” Reynolds said.
“There’s brisket, but it’s actually just a conglomeration of something to be unique,” Kauffman said.
Their winning entry is not just a one-off recipe, as Crooked Hammock has the list of ingredients and will add the chili to its menu Oct. 27 through Nov. 16, when $1 from every bowl sold will go to the Lewes Fire Department.
Crooked Hammock is also brewing a beer called Stop, Drop and Roll lager. Just like the chili, $1 from each beer sale will go to the fire department.
The restaurant will also hold a first responder night Tuesday, Oct. 28, when 10% of sales will go the fire department.
“We wanted to do something for the folks who protect our families,” said Brian Massa, Crooked Hammock general manager.
The donations are part of Crooked Hammock’s 10th anniversary celebration.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
