History of Somers Point Restaurant Week (SPRW)
“Small Town, Big Taste”
November 2-11th
By Krystle J Bailey
Somers Point Restaurant week is gearing up to celebrate its 9th season this year. November 2-11, Somers Point will feature 19 participating restaurants with pre fixe lunch and dinner menus. Somers Point Restaurant week, or SPRW, originated in 2009 as the brainchild of new Community Program Coordinator, Nick Regine.
Given the number of various restaurant establishments in Somers Point, Regine thought it would be a great time to feature the big taste of the small town. In an effort to cater to locals, the Somers Point Business Association chose early November as the perfect combination of a town free of the tourist buzz but weather still nice enough to enjoy.
In the first year, 9 Somers Point restaurants participated in the first annual SPRW. The following year brought 12 restaurants, and the town-wide event has continued to grow year after year. This year, 19 out of 26 restaurants are participating in the 10-day event. The week was expanded to 10 days to offer two full weekends to enjoy the tastes of the town.
In 2011, a kick-off event was added to the itinerary offering patrons a chance to come out and preview a handful of tastes from the Restaurant Week menus for a donation entrance fee to support The Community Food Bank of Southern NJ.
The first several years featured different themes including Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, complete with a 10-day Dining Passport to Food in Film and TV. Lacking annual turnout, Somers Point Business Association Restaurant Week Committee made the decision in 2014 to feature one consistent event name, coining the name “Sip and Savor. Somers Point, A Small Town with Big Taste.”
In 2015, the Foodie Film Festival partnered with a marketing class at Stockton College to create a film montage of classic Hollywood film food clips that would be played at the kick-off event that year. This well attended kick off seemed to be a launching point for SPRW.
In 2016, the kick-off was moved to Clancy’s By The Bay. This event filled the entire restaurant including outside space. Educators from the Academy of Culinary Arts and students offering food demos attended the kick-off. SPRW gave back by offering two $500 culinary scholarships that year. The “Two Chicks and a Chef” show with Kimmie Kocktail and Chef Mike D’Angelo along with the support of SNJ Radio were instrumental in kicking off Restaurant Week 2016 and 2017.
After 2016 the Somers Point Business Association advised the restaurant week committee that SPRW had grown to new levels and should consider forming its own non-profit entity that would allow for future growth. In March of 2017 the Somers Point Restaurant Assn. (SPRA) originated. A New Jersey nonprofit corporation was officially formed to create events for Somers Point restaurants, plus other food and drink related businesses. The newly formed association currently hosts the Somers Point Restaurant Week every year with founders Bill and Pat Hurst of Fitzpatrick’s Deli and Steakhouse at the helm of the organization, along with 18 members, and 4 board members. SPRA proceeds from events support food-related causes.
After the induction of the newly formed organization, the 2017 kick-off was held at Greate Bay Country Club for the first time, utilizing the second floor upstairs in its entirety. The two-hour Sunday event had escalated to a grand production with many partners donating their time to support the Kick-off with admission donations going to the Community Food Bank of Southern NJ.
Since 2009, the two-hour afternoon event has raised over $10,000 for the Community Food Bank and given $2000 in scholar awards to the Academy of Culinary Arts program.
Now in its 9th year, the success of the event lies with its dedicated food sponsors since inception. SPRA appreciates the generous contributions of Presenting Sponsor, Sysco Food Services and its Support Sponsors, B. F. Mazzeo’s Fruit & Produce, D&D Foods, Erco, Penn Jersey Paper, Northern Liberties Food Processors, South Jersey Industries, Westside Meats, SPBA, Somers Point EDAC, and new this year the South Jersey Jazz Society.
The SPRA is looking forward to the success of this year’s 9th Annual “Sip and Savor Somers Point”, and “Jazzing Up RW” with the South Jersey Jazz Society and nightly solo feature performances.
Although the kick-off has taken a reprieve this year, the 10-day dining event, November 2 – 11th promises great food and fun, with 19 participating locations. Also, a gift basket worth over $250 will be given out on November 17th to the diner that posts the most pics to the SPRW Facebook Page using the hashtag #SPRW18. Bon Appetite!
SPRA has partnered with the Community Food Bank, Southern Branch to hold their “Feed a Family” campaign during the 10-days of dining. Diners can opt to add $1/$3/$5 to their bill. In addition, SPRA will be donating two $500 scholarships to two ACA students. “What better way to give back while enjoying great food and music this holiday season?”
