Levin Kates, left, won the oyster shucking contest at Vola’s Oyster Fest Oct. 5 at the City Dock. At right is Vola’s executive chef Javier Rodriguez.
The competition was fierce, but in the end it was the Fish Market that took top honors for the second year in a row at the 5th annual Oyster Week Oyster Shucking contest Oct. 12 in Old Town.
Sponsored by the Old Town Business Association, the contest kicked off Oyster Week, which ran Oct. 12-20, with several restaurants featuring oyster specials.
Representatives from local restaurants were judged on shucking speed as well as the quality of presentation.
The Fish Market representative shucked and plated a dozen oysters in 44 seconds. Whiskey & Oyster came in second at 1 minute and 36 seconds followed by Vola’s at 1 minute and 44 seconds.
At the Vola’s Oyster Fest held Oct. 5 at the City Dock, Levin Kates of Rock Point, Md., skillfully bested the competition under the watchful eye of Vola’s executive chef Javier Rodriguez. Old Town’s John Bordner was a distant second to Kates, who grew up shucking oysters in Cape Charles.
www.oldtownbusiness.org