Home Care In Fenwick Island, DE

A Delaware chef was just named one of the best in the Mid-Atlantic.

After a statewide snub of Delaware last year, the James Beard Foundation Awards — often called the Oscars of the food world — announced Wednesday morning that chef Matthew Kern of Fenwick Island’s One Coastal had been nominated as one of the best chefs in the five-state region that also includes New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

“THIS HITS DIFFERENTLY!” Kern wrote on his personal Facebook account after the nomination was announced. “I have officially owned my own restaurant for two years now, a restaurant filled with the best humans a chef could ask for. I believed in my tiny little 50 seat ‘strip mall’ eatery so I have spent god knows how many hours in this place…fixing, failing, winning, struggling, vibing & learning.”

Reached by phone a little later, Kern was still overwhelmed.

“It was crazy,” he said. “I didn’t even think we were on the radar this year. I have an incredible team; we pushed, and— oh, man! I couldn’t have done it without them … To be recognized on that list as one of the top players in the Mid-Atlantic, it hits so close to home.”

Kern is the only Delaware chef to be named a semifinalist for the 2024 James Beard awards, his third such nomination in four years.

Far from the first James Beard nomination for Delaware chef Matthew Kern

As chef for Lewes restaurant Heirloom, Kern also was nominated as one of the region’s best chefs in 2019 and 2020 (though those 2020 prizes were eventually canceled during a pandemic-era reckoning that tanked the awards for two years).

In 2018, News Journal food writer Patricia Talorico wondered whether Heirloom was the best restaurant in the state with Kern wearing the toque, praising house-stretched burrata with “swirls of green from torn basil and dots of red from Calabrian chili” and “refreshingly modern” take on foie gras, spiked with pickled rhubarb and served on a Johnny cake. Even Kern’s competitors couldn't help but sing his praises, she wrote then.

But this was just the beginning for Kern, it would turn out.

By the time he and his wife, Karen, took over One Coastal, Talorico didn’t hesitate to call Kern “easily one of the state's most talented chefs,” whether on a dry-aged flank steak with creamed kale and latkes or an inventive beet and blueberry salad topped with pecan crumble and whipped mascarpone.

One Coastal was founded in 2016 by Scott and Carlie Carey as a farm-to-table restaurant, a tradition the Kerns have continued since buying the restaurant in 2022.

“The idea is to support responsible local agriculture, get more restaurants buying from local forms, and to showcase the seasons," Kern told Delaware Online/The News Journal.

"That’s always been my mission, to do this with grace and humility and treat my staff well and pay a living wage. I didn’t want to have regrets.”

The farms that Kern showcases fan out much broader than just the immediate area. Kern seeks out "the best ingredients grown by American farmers on the East Coast,” he said, and is intimately familiar with the farm, the mill or the fishery where each ingredient was sourced.

And so he and his team might whip ricotta from nearby Nice Farms into a salad of with blood oranges from Georgia. The Gullah farms of the Southeastern coast might be tapped for red peas, served with gold rice from North Carolina’s famed Anson Mills. Rockfish from Jersey’s side of the Bay might rest alongside lion’s mane mushrooms plucked just up the road in Frankford.

Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., dominate James Beard semifinalists in the Mid-Atlantic

But if Kern has become nearly a regular amid the nominations in recent years, Delaware hasn’t always been so lucky.

The 2023 awards left out the state entirely, in all categories — one of only two states to be utterly snubbed that year. No Delaware chef has ever won the national restaurant prize, nor the regional prize as best chef in the Mid-Atlantic.

By contrast, chefs in Philadelphia have won the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic prize both of the last two years: first chef Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa, then chef Nok Suntaranon from Thai restaurant Kalaya. Center City Philly spot Friday Saturday Sunday also was named the best restaurant in the country in 2023.

More:A Philadelphia restaurant was named best in the country at the James Beard Awards

Four Philly chefs also received nominations in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category this year.

These include Carlos Aparicio of much-hailed South Philly Mexican spot El Chingon — a fast-casual powerhouse best known for cemita sandwiches with springy and seeded house-made bread, pork al pastor or arrachera beef sliced fresh off the spit, or even the occasional pizza.

Texas-bred Randy Rucker, of inventive and meat-filled modern American spot River Twice — located about a block from El Chingon in South Philly — also received a nomination. So did Omar Tate of West Philly’s Honeysuckle Provisions, well-known for putting the foods of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora winkingly front and center, whether on a “dolla hoagie” plucked from Tate’s childhood memories or a Haitian take on Cubano with griyo pork and fiery pikliz pickles.

Chef Jesse Ito received a repeat nod for Queen Village’s Royal Sushi & Izakaya, whose back-room omakase is famously one of the hardest reservations to score in Philly.

In South Jersey, chef Dane Demarco of Haddenfield BYOB Gass and Main was nominated for its local and sustainable takes on comfort classics. Elsewhere in New Jersey, Lita in Aberdeen was nominated as best new restaurant, and chef Nur-E Gulshan Rahman of Korai Kitchen, Jersey City, was nominated as best chef along with Demarco.

But in all, nominations in the region were dominated by Philadelphia and Washington. Washington received a whopping 15 nominations this year, while Philly scored nine overall.

In addition to the four Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic semifinalists in Philly, Philly was nominated for five national prizes. These include My Loup (best new restaurant), Isgro Pastries (best bakery) and a.kitchen+bar (best drinks program).

Yun Fuentes of Latin-American rum bar Bolo was nominated for the "Emerging Chef" category, while chef Dionicio Jiménez of aguachile-happy Mexican spot Cantina La Martina was nominated for the coveted "Outstanding Chef" award.

Full list of 2024 nominees, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA).

Delaware

Matt Kern, One Coastal, Fenwick Island

Pennsylvania

Jesse Ito, Royal Sushi & Izakaya, Philadelphia

Carlos Aparicio, El Chingon, Philadelphia

Randy Rucker, River Twice, Philadelphia

Omar Tate, Honeysuckle Provisions, Philadelphia

Bootsaba Tongdee, Pusadee’s Garden, Pittsburgh

Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka, Pittsburgh

New Jersey

Dane DeMarco, Gass & Main, Haddonfield

Nur-E Gulshan Rahman, Korai Kitchen, Jersey City

Maryland

Tony Conte, Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, Darnestown,

David Zamudio, Alma Cocina Latina, Baltimore

Virginia

Travis Milton, Hickory at Nicewonder Farm and Vineyards, Bristol

Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, Joon, ViennaWashington, D.C.

Angel Barreto, Anju

Amy Brandwein, Centrolina

Keem Hughley, Bronze

Esther Lee, Obelisk

Yuan Tang, Rooster & Owl

Kevin Tien, Moon Rabbit

More restaurant news

Special to Salisbury Daily Times

“Today’s Fenwick Island, a thriving resort,” the Smyrna Times reported on Sept.3, 1959, “bears little resemblance to the earlier Fenwick Island, which had few inhabitants and was, at times barely accessible. In these earlier days, pirates ravaged the coast.”

As usual, there was not a human to be seen, when the small sloop eased through the narrow, shallow inlet into Little Assawoman Bay. Aboard the small sailing craft, hardened group of pirates surveyed the coastal bay behind Fenwick Island, and they dropped anchor a short distance from a glorified sandbar now known as Point of Cedars Island.

At the end of the 17th century, the remote corner of southern Delaware was the ideal place for a scurvy lot of cutthroats to spend a few days ashore, repair their ship, and divide their loot.

How Fenwick became a favorite haven for pirates

When the first European settlers arrived in southern Delaware, they avoided Fenwick Island, where the sandy soil and salty air was incompatible with raising tobacco and other crops. Coastal buccaneers had little to fear from the Delaware colonial authorities, who concentrated their efforts on guarding the settlements on Delaware Bay, and they showed little interest in policing waters around Fenwick Island.

With little to fear from the authorities, pirates and other lawless vandals would use the shallow inlet that was once a short distance north of the Maryland border to reach the calm waters of the coastal bays where they could repair their ships, replenish their supplies, and perhaps, bury their treasure.

David James Long, affectionately known as “Uncle Jim,” was a longtime resident of Selbyville. Born before the Civil War, he was familiar with the history of Fenwick Island and its traditions.

Wind power:Is offshore wind in Maryland, Delaware in peril after New Jersey troubles? What to know.

In 1938, he described the custom of hunting for pirate treasure in the Fenwick Island area in an article for the Milford Chronicle.

Long wrote, “There used to be an inlet to Little Assawoman Bay near Fenwick lighthouse … Tradition has it that the pirates used to trade in and out the Little Assawoman Bay to a little island called Cedar Island [Point of Cedars Island] about a mile northeast of where the bridge [over the Ditch, the waterway that connects Assawoman Bay to Little Assawoman Bay] now is. It was said that there were lots of holes in which the pirates used to bury their money.”

According to Long, “Folks used to dig for money there [Point of Cedars Island]. I have also heard that when they were digging for this money, they could hear ghostly sounds, as of boats coming in with sails snapping and crackling in the wind, so folks said that the place was haunted.”

Is there really buried pirate treasure in Fenwick Island?

Historians have scoffed at the idea that pirates buried their treasure, but over the years, Fenwick Island beachcombers have found a number of silver and copper coins scattered on the sand.

Historic home:Is that a spaceship? Delaware house of the future nominated for National Historic Register

The discovery of these coins usually sparked speculation about pirate booty, but as Long pointed out, the coins on the beach were probably not the remnants of pirate treasure. More likely, the coins were cast ashore by some of the ships that have been known to founder along the Delaware coast.

During the first half of the 20th century, vacationers began to discover the joys of vacationing at Fenwick Island’s quiet at beach. The stories of the pirates who once sailed southern Delaware’s coastal waters lived on in the minds of area residents, and in 1959, the Smyrna Times reminded its readers that there was once a time that “pirates ravaged the coast” at Fenwick Island.

Principal sources

Smyrna Times, Sept. 3, 1959.

Milford Chronicle, Oct. 7, 1938.

Mary Pat Kyle, Fenwick Island, Delaware, A Brief History, Charleston: The History Press, 2008, pp. 35-37, 49-51.

FENWICK ISLAND, De. -- On Tuesday night, DelDot held a meeting to get public feedback on plans for a new bridge on Lighthouse Rd. Construction is slated to begin in late 2024.

We spoke with several neighbors before the meeting began, many want to see the bridge widened. Neighbors said during the summer, especially on weekends, the Fenwick Island Bridge can be a nightmare.

"Right now, the traffic on a busy day takes forever it's real bumper to bumper," said Joe Nieves.

Nieves said a small change could help.

"If they could even just make it two lanes each side that would be a lot better for the area," said Nieves.

Nieves along with Bob Nixon live in a neighborhood right next to the bridge. So they have seen the summertime congestion first hand and are eager for a change.

"Obviously make it a little wider so we have the capacity to get cars across the bridge because it becomes a bottleneck on the weekends," said Nixon.

Neighbors would also not mind seeing the bridge raised to help larger boats go underneath. C.R. McLeod with DelDot said both are a possibility.

"We're definitely looking to have a larger structure out there," said McLeod. "Both for traffic needs and also for pedestrian and bicyclists to get across, it's a very narrow bridge currently."

The project is slated to take more than a year, so there were concerns about what would happen if the bridge was a construction zone during the summer.

"Once we begin construction in late 2024, we'll work through spring of 2025 and then actually pause construction, any type of disruptive construction during those summer months," said McLeod.

Another way DelDot plans to ease any delays during construction is by building the new bridge while the current bridge is useable.

"By building the bridge laterally next to the existing structure we'll be able to minimize traffic impacts," said McLeod. "There will be some that are necessary and ultimately, we'll be looking to do those especially during nighttime hours."

A major project is on the way to Fenwick Island, and many hope it makes getting around less of a headache.

Editor's note: This story and headlines have been updated to correctly reflect the warning for Delaware. Much of the state is under a coastal flood warning.

Delaware saw a wet and windy Saturday as then-Tropical Storm Ophelia headed its way.

Delaware and other parts of the East Coast were hit with rain and strong gusty winds Saturday, expected to last through the evening and into parts of Sunday. The storm is in effect from northeast North Carolina and includes parts of Maryland, Virginia and Fenwick Island as it continues northward, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm made landfall on the coast of North Carolina near Emerald Isle on Saturday morning and moved inland across the state, according to forecasters with the National Hurricane Center.

At 7:44 p.m., the center said that Ophelia had slowed to become a tropical depression, which is a weak form of a tropical storm, and all storm surge and tropical storm warnings had been discontinued.

Heavy rain began early Saturday morning, with National Weather Service forecasters predicting another round later in the day. Between 2 to 3 inches of rain are expected in the Delaware area. As of 6 p.m. Saturday, Harbeson recorded the highest rainfall total across the state with 3.64 inches, according to the Delaware Environmental Observing System. Close behind were nearby areas of Stockley and Dagsboro.

New Castle County reported far less, with Newark reporting about 1.5 inches of rain as of 6 p.m. Saturday.

The worst impacts of the storm were expected along the Delaware beaches and the Jersey shore Saturday night, especially around high tide and in the hours after. Wind gusts could reach up to 60 mph, according to the weather service, which could make it more difficult for water to recede and flow back out to sea.

Here's a look at what happened throughout Delaware on Saturday.

WHAT TO KNOW:Ophelia causes coastal flood warning for southern Delaware, New Jersey

Bayside developments, mobile home parks see usual flooding

Waters were slow to recede post-high tide Saturday night, leaving bayside developments with the flooding that often comes with big storm surges.

North Drive in West Bay Park was completely flooded out as a person waded through the water toward the tiny homes set up across from the marina around 5 p.m. Saturday.

Long Neck Road was also closed at Fairfield due to water on the roadway.

In the Angola area of Lewes, Bookhammer Landing Road was also flooded. There are about 40 homes beyond a sign touting Joy Beach, with Rehoboth Bay gray but visible in the distance at the end of the road.

Delaware beaches swamped post-high tide

High tide hit the Delaware beaches at 3 p.m. Saturday, but waves showed no signs of receding by 4:30 p.m.

Gusty winds were expected to remain in the region through the evening, which could leave the coastline facing high waters into the evening.

Flooding, road closures hit Delaware beaches

About 2 p.m. Saturday, as Delaware beaches prepped for an extremely high tide amid the storm, the parking lot at Savannah Beach in Lewes was closed and filled with sand. Police vehicles blocked the entrance to the parking lot at the beach located at the end of Savannah Road.

On Lewes Beach, waves crashed and covered the beach by 2 p.m. except for a small slice next to the jetty which was quickly disappearing.

At about 6:30 p.m., Route 1 south (Coastal Highway) was closed at the south end of Dewey Beach.

High tide is expected to peak just before 3 p.m. Saturday.

Delaware Department of Transportation traffic cameras near the Indian River Inlet did not show any Route 1 flooding as of 2:10 p.m. Saturday. One camera did show multiple onlookers braving the wind along the beach for photos.

Storm tracker Delaware

Here's the latest radar for where the storm is moving throughout Delaware.

National Guard mobilizing in Delaware

The Delaware National Guard was activated as a result of the storm, according to the Delaware Emergency Management Agency. They were to be in place by 1 p.m. Saturday to aid in storm response, and additional resources were standing by across the state to respond as needed.

Areas of major flooding concern in the state, according to DEMA, include low-lying coastal areas in Kent County, as well as the Long Neck and Oak Orchard areas in Sussex County.

Closings due to the storm

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control closed campgrounds in coastal areas Saturday, according to the Delaware Emergency Management Agency. Some Sussex County mobile home parks also had power shut off to prevent transformer inundation.

Rainfall totals across the state

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the highest rainfall estimate over the past 24 hours was recorded in Dagsboro with 2.72 inches, according to the Delaware Environmental Observing System.

The system's data also reported the following findings during the past 24 hours:

Street flooding in Bethany Beach

Accuweather reports that several streets in Bethany Beach have been flooded, with some barriers being knocked down by the wind.

Accuweather's Bill Wadell was live from the north side of Bethany Beach Saturday morning, standing in a street covered with water. He also shared video from before sunrise of waves and wind hammering the boardwalk in both Bethany and Rehoboth Beach.

Gusty winds battering Delaware beaches

Winds were strongest in Lewes on Saturday morning, peaking at 64 mph as of 8 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Gusts also peaked at 58 mph in Dewey Beach Saturday morning, the weather service said.

Power outages popping up across Delaware

As of Saturday morning, at least 4,000 customers have lost power in Delaware, especially in Sussex County where the majority of the outages occurred, according to poweroutage.us.

Live cameras from the Delaware beaches show waves and heavy winds battering the coastline.

Will the heavy rain and wind mean flooding?

Yes. Coastal flooding hit the area Saturday evening and was expected Sunday for the Delaware beaches and coastal New Jersey. Flooding could also affect parts of Maryland's Eastern Shore, as the storm continues to go north.

Downed trees and power lines resulting in localized power outages are also possible, according to the weather service.

On Saturday, heavy rain will be accompanied by breezy temperatures near 64 degrees in the Delaware area. Rain is expected to last into Sunday, according to the NWS.

Weekend forecast

Strong winds are expected from mid-morning through early Saturday noon. Gusty winds of 30 to 45 mph in most parts of Delaware will continue Saturday night but not be as strong. Temperatures will drop to around 59 degrees Saturday night.

The weather service predicts rain to last through Sunday morning with northeast winds around 15 mph. However, rain is expected to taper off Sunday night.

Ophelia: Watch live cams from Rehoboth Boardwalk, Lewes Yacht Club

This story includes reporting by the Associated Press.

Are you being impacted by the storm? Contact reporter Cameron Goodnight at [email protected] or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.

Don't forget your sunscreen! Though summer doesn’t officially start until June 21, “the season” begins at the Delaware beaches on Memorial Day weekend.

Millions of people will descend upon Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Fenwick this summer, all to experience Delaware’s brand of sun, surf and relaxation.

Maybe you’re one of them, or maybe you’re a hardened local who seesaws between tourist traffic rage and toes-in-the-sand-every-weekend bliss. Regardless, Delaware Online/The News Journal will offer this handy guide to the Delaware beaches every weekend this summer, with information on everything from weather to beach closures to things to do.

More:5 must-try places in Rehoboth Beach for French food, fancy fritters and ice cream for Fido

The Delaware beaches have steadied after all the instability caused by COVID-19 and the record-breaking number of tourists that came after (or, at least, after restrictions were lifted).

Following a couple of challenging years, Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Fenwick all reported having plenty of lifeguards ready to take their perches on the beach.

The rental market has some availability right now, according to Coldwell Banker Premiere’s Kathy Newcomb, but once July hits, most places are already booked. The Boardwalk Plaza Hotel’s reservations are “on par with previous years,” spokesperson Jennifer Zerby said.

More:Ready to beach? Here are 5 new spots for nightlife & bites at Delaware beaches this summer

Chris Darr, personnel manager at Funland in Rehoboth Beach, said he thinks this season will be at least as busy as the 2022 season, which was the busiest season the amusement park has ever had.

The Starboard's Steve Montgomery also believes business will be on par with or better than last year. He's opening three new restaurants over the new few weeks: Starboard Claw and Starboard Sauced, both in Dewey Beach, and Downtown Blues in Rehoboth Beach.

Bottom line: A busy summer is expected. In addition to sunscreen — don't forget your patience. It's the beach, after all.

Memorial Day weekend forecast

The weather starts out most optimal this weekend.

Saturday is forecast to be around 70 degrees and partly sunny, according to the National Weather Service forecast. The temperature will hover around 70 degree all weekend, but Sunday and Monday will be more cloudy.

There's a chance of rain on Sunday (30%), but it's most likely on Monday (40%).

Weather predictions, of course, are subject to change, so before you make or cancel any plans, get the most up-to-date forecast.

What to know about parking

Parking fees are in effect in all Delaware beach towns, so be prepared to use your ParkMobil app.

Parking prices and rules differ for each beach town. We recommend you arrive early, unless you don't mind looping around town waiting for a spot to open up.

The Delaware Department of Transportation's Park and Ride program is an excellent alternative to paying for parking at the beach.

You can park your car for free in one of two lots, at 20055 Shuttle Road in Rehoboth or at 17616 Coastal Highway in Lewes. The bus fare is $2 per trip, $4 daily, $16 weekly for $60 for 30 days. Buses stop at the lots and the beaches multiple times per hour.

What to know about beach replenishment

The Delaware beaches are in the midst of getting some much-needed nourishment from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but operations will shut down over Memorial Day weekend. There’s no sand you can’t occupy in Delaware beach towns, but there may be more in some places than others.

Rehoboth Beach’s replenishment was finished last week and work has begun in Dewey Beach, estimated to be completed in late May or early June. Dredging is also underway in Fenwick Island, slated for completion in early- to mid-June, according to Corps spokesman Stephen Rochette.

Work is expected to begin in both Bethany Beach and South Bethany in early June and be completed later that month.

More on beach replenishment:Rehoboth Beach sand is ready for Memorial Day beachgoers. See the replenished beach

Surf-fishing changes

You can always simply walk-on to Delaware state park beaches to surf-fish – all you need is a fishing license. If you want to drive-on, however, you need to plan ahead.

You’ll need a surf-fishing permit, which also counts as a fishing license. You can get one at most state park offices (it takes a few weeks for them to be mailed if you order one online).

New this year, if you want to drive on state park beaches on a weekend or holiday, you'll also need a $4 reservation.

As of Thursday, Cape Henlopen State Park's drive-on beaches were booked up for Saturday and Sunday, but other drive-on beaches still had availability. All beaches still had availability for Monday.

What to do this weekend

The Rehoboth Beach bandstand will come to life this weekend with live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Music doesn’t start until June in Lewes and Bethany.

There are a couple of festivals to choose from Saturday, both in Milton. SpringFest will take place at Hudson Fields on Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a car show, a cornhole tournament, live music, kids’ activities and vendors.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the Horseshoe Crab & Shorebird Festival at Milton Memorial Park. It features vendors, kids' activities and plenty of marine wildlife-related educational exhibits, all on the shore of the Broadkill River.

In need of some fresh produce, meats or flowers, or just want to see what the locals have to offer? Check out the Lewes Farmers Market at George H.P. Smith Park from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught