A Catasauqua businesswoman had another successful year at the recent ArtsQuest Souper Bowl in Bethlehem. Cathy's Creative Catering and Café located on Front Street, Catasauqua, walked away with the People's Choice Award and the judges' First Runner-up Award.

The Catasauqua eatery and caterer also won the judges' award for their Coconut Shrimp Chowder. Volpes Sports Bar, Emmaus, was the Second Runner-up with their Crab Bisque.

The major issue in most competitions is there are unfortunate losers who suffer from the agony of defeat. That is another great characteristic of the ArtsQuest Souper Bowl – it produces only winners.

It appeared that everyone from chefs to soup tasters went home happy. There were no noticeable tears shed by anyone in the Yuengling ArtsQuest Cafe in Bethlehem, where the competition was held.

The biggest winner, however, was definitely the ArtsQuest Arts Education Fund. The Souper Bowl proceeds help fund the many programs of the organization. The event proceeds help to fund the ASPIRE and B-Smart Programs of the Bethlehem School District middle schools. This fund raiser helps with scholarships, classes and camps at The Banana Factory.

Talented restaurant and pub chefs from 16 locations across the Lehigh Valley showcased their soup creations with the ultimate goal of being named "Souper Bowl Champs." Awards were presented to Best Cream-Based, Chowder, Ethnic, Meat-Based, Vegetarian and Most Original soups. The list of winners included more than 500 soup-tasting attendees who sampled 26 different soups presented by the top Lehigh Valley restaurants.

The event was a great way to introduce many Souper Bowl attendees to the local restaurants' locations and cuisines. Many competitors offered their menus to the guests along with their soup creations.

New this year was the VIP ticket and tasting. Fifty-four VIP ticket purchasers began tasting an hour earlier than the other ticket buyers who entered, tasted and voted for their favorite soups from noon to 3 p.m.

Five-year sponsors, Gwen and Johnny Chung of Breinigsville, attended the VIP session with friends Marcella and Steve Zamborsky and Antonio Boyer.

"Every year they do a fantastic job. They make changes and always improve. We look forward to it every year," Chung said. "VIP was a great addition."

Souper Bowl V judges included Scott Evans, WLEV morning show host; Kelly Huth, features editor at The Express Times; Dr. Badar Jan of Aesthetics Surgery Associates; ArtsQuest member Laura Weishaupt and Morning Call columnist Bill White.

Northampton residents, George Katchur and his wife Kathy were in attendance for the second year in a row. "Definitely worthwhile," he said.

"The soups are all good. I enjoyed each one, especially, the tomato-based soups," said third time attendee, Kathy Colarusso, from Whitehall. Colarusso attended the Souper Bowl with her husband, Bud, her sister, Sue Christoff and her husband Larry. The Christoffs live in Northampton.

"I've tried most of the soups and I think they are better than last year. My favorite so far is the Brew Works Chicken Tortellini Florentine," commented Larry Christoff.

"I like both of the Lehigh Catering soups," Sue Christoff added.

Both Christoffs agreed they thoroughly enjoyed their fourth time at the event.

Four women made the Souper Bowl into a family affair.

"We love it! This is a great event for soup connoisseurs," said Roseann Hantz of Northampton.

Justine Fedorak Gibson, formerly of Northampton, came up from Virginia for the second year in a row, combining a family visit with the Souper Bowl event. "I really like it," she said.

Monica Fedorak, Hantz's sister, was attending for the third year.

"This is a wonderful event and it's a great fund raiser," Fedorak said.

It was the first time for Coplay resident, Tanya Fedorak.

"It's a great afternoon spent with family enjoying delicious soups. I'll definitely come back and I'll be watching for ticket sales for next year," she stressed. Unfortunately, another member of the family, Johanna Zemlansky, couldn't make it this year due a medical problem. Zemlansky was the one that started the family tradition. Hopefully, the five family members will all be healthy and back again next year.

Tasting one's way through 26 small cups of soup is no small feat. Tasters walked about the Yuengling Musikfest Café with plastic spoons in hand, moving from table to table tasting the wonderful offerings.

"We are extremely pleased with the turn out and we appreciate the restaurants' participation. Together we raised funds for a great cause; the Artsquest Arts Education Fund," commented Julie Benjamin, Vice President of Community Partnerships. "Over 300 Bethlehem middle school students will benefit from this and other events. Students are bused to the Banana Factory after school to participate in art classes of their choice. Over the past four years the Souper Bowl has raised funds for youth education programming in the Lehigh Valley, and that's something that everyone who takes part in the event should be very proud of."