Bowling for Soup

The 22nd annual Empty Bowls fundraiser at the Ben Page Youth Center was so oversubscribed there had to be three seatings for the simple soup and bread meals, which allowed the 1,000 participants paying just $30 to choose a hand-crafted bowl and, after dining, take the colorful ceramic home.

The bustling event, founded by the bubbly Danyel Dean, who has been on the committee for more than two decades, is now one of the most popular bowls events in the U.S., not to mention Hong Kong, Argentina, New Zealand, and France.

The event, which has raised $2 million over the past two decades, providing nearly 16 million meals for needy residents, was expected to net more than $150,000 for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, which runs 300 programs annually.

More than 20 local eateries participated this year, including the San Ysidro Ranch, Benchmark, Fresco Cafe, the Biltmore, Olio e Limone, Lucky’s, Loquita, Opal, Rosewood Miramar Beach, Stella Mare’s Bistro, and Toma.

I tried out the Boston clam chowder and roasted mushroom soup, accompanied by a selection of breads from Santa Barbara police officer Keld Hove of Hove’s Loaves.