Bring On The Boil
Bring On The Boil
Part seafood feast, part family tradition, Delmarva Boil Company turns beach-house dinners into interactive gatherings where someone else does the cooking, cleanup and entertaining
Written by Kristen Hampshire
A crowd gathers around the table. Kids jockey for the best view. Parents pull out their phones, ready to capture the moment.
Then comes the show.
A Delmarva Boil Company crew member emerges carrying a steaming pot—more of a vat, really. It’s loaded with Low Country fare, a customized feast. He pours nearly 20 pounds of “boil” across a red-and-white checkered tabletop.
The spectacular splash is a steaming presentation of jumbo shrimp, andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, sweet corn and add-ons like Chesapeake Bay little-neck clams, lobster tails, scallops and snow crab legs.
No dinner bell is necessary for this spread, which doubles as a cooking demonstration and pure entertainment. It’s concierge yet casual.
“We make a big announcement, and everybody circles around the table,” says Will Jenkins, owner of Delmarva Boil Company. “It’s a big, climactic moment.”
For many vacationing families on the Eastern Shore, a catered meal from Delmarva Boil Company has become a summer tradition. Part catered dinner, part interactive experience, the seafood boil company has built a following by bringing Low Country-style seafood boils directly to beach houses, vacation rentals and event venues throughout the region.
From intimate family dinners at Bethany Beach to weddings with hundreds of guests, the concept blends hospitality, entertainment and a fresh feast.
“The parents can kick back with a cocktail, you play your own music, and the kids can run around,” Will relates.
Gather Around
For Will, the real magic of Delmarva Boil events is the way families engage in the process. A typical event begins long before the food hits the table. Guests wander outside to watch the cooking process. Children help toss ingredients into the pot. Conversations begin naturally as the meal comes together.
“It’s interactive,” Will says of the family-style buffets the company prepares. Guests feast on the communal spread, usually eating with their hands. “It’s about breaking bread together.”
The experience fills a unique niche for large vacation groups. Coordinating dinner for multiple generations during peak beach season can be nearly impossible. Restaurant reservations for a dozen or more people are scarce, Will points out. Plus, cooking for a crowd can consume an entire day better spent on the beach.
Delmarva Boil Company offers another option: to bring the restaurant home. The concept has won over repeat customers since Will rolled out the concept seven years ago. And since then, the company has earned a No. 1 ranking on Tripadvisor for Ocean City based on reviews.
“This speaks to how much people really enjoy the experience,” Will says. “We’re providing a private dining experience for about the same cost as going out to eat.”
Beyond the Pot
The seafood boil idea was relatively unheard of on the Eastern Shore when Will and a college friend introduced it in Ocean City.
“We caught a lot of grief in the beginning,” Will recalls with a laugh. “People would say, ‘This is blue crab country. We don’t boil our seafood.’”
He stayed the course.
Over time, seafood boils gained popularity nationwide, while Delmarva Boil Company expanded well beyond its original blueprint. Today, the company handles roughly 250 to 300 catered events each season throughout the Eastern Shore, from Lewes and Bethany Beach to Ocean City, Cambridge and St. Michaels.
Meanwhile, its carryout operation has developed a devoted following. Guests can order fully prepared, ready-to-eat seafood trays or take-home boil kits that allow them to recreate the experience themselves. “The carryout side really took on a life of its own,” Will says.
The menu has expanded, too.
In addition to signature boils, Delmarva Boil Company now offers raw bar experiences featuring oysters displayed on a custom boat platter, along with New England-style lobster bakes showcasing whole Maine lobsters.
Yet the company’s appeal remains rooted in a simple idea. For a few hours, families can stop worrying about reservations, grocery lists and who is cooking dinner. Instead, they gather around a table, share a meal and make a memory.
For Will, that’s what keeps people coming back year after year. “For some families, the boil is their favorite night of the week,” he says.
The post Bring On The Boil first appeared on Coastal Style Magazine.
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