Garnish cafe took its third straight Soupskol title in downtown Aspen on Friday night with its now-famous Clark’s Chowder.
When asked whether he was speechless following his unprecedented third win, Garnish owner Clark Church agreed he was.
Church then turned his attention to his crew, who hoisted the coveted Soupskol kettle trophy for a photo, but only after a supporter placed a large puppy named Remi Mooney inside the vessel.
And so it went at the sixth annual Winterskol Soupskol competition.
The event attracted a record number of restaurants and caterers — 23 or so, according to Aspen Chamber Resort Association spokeswomen — and hundreds of folks who streamed in from north, south, east and west during the late afternoon and early evening to taste the soups and cast votes for their favorite.
The soup-slurp fest’s epicenter took place at the intersection of Cooper and Hunter, with contestants serving up three-ounce samples of their brews under low-hanging canopies.
Bill Clarke, the Rocky Mountain News’ Consumer Champ, patrolled the Soupskol grounds with a microphone and acted as master of ceremonies.
Early in the night, Clarke told the crowd the late Reggie Barbour started the first Soupskol six years ago. “He said ‘let’s put up a soup kitchen in the streets of Aspen,’” Clarke said. ‘That’ll blow their minds.’”
Six years later, more than 20 contestants served up approximately 375 gallons of free soup to anyone who cared to line up a free meal. One early souper, who was spooning soup from a stack of cups that resembled an ice cream cone, said, “Some are really good and some are not.”
To add to the night’s festivities, DJ Jonas McNair pumped out a blend that included the Bee Gees, Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder and more between Aspen Square and Boogie’s diner.
Other amenities included overhead portable heaters and stand-up cocktail tables.
“We had more restaurants this year,” said Aspen Chamber Resort Association spokeswoman Jennifer Albright-Carney, “and quite a few new restaurants.”
lburton@aspendailynews.com