Romano's Stromboli in Philadelphia suburbs wins Herr's 2024 "Flavored by Philly" chip contest
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Romano's Stromboli in Delaware County won Herr's 2024 "Flavored by Philly" chip contest on Wednesday, edging out other local favorites Talluto's and Mom-Mom's Kitchen.
The "Romano's Stromboli: Special Hot Chips" by Herr's aimed to pack all the flavors of the Italian restaurant's hot stromboli into each bite of the chips by "blending savory cheese with the perfect amount of heat and spice."
Romano's, located in Essington in the southeastern part of Delaware County near I-95, won $10,000 by winning the contest. According to Herr's, John Lishok, who submitted the nomination, will also receive $5,000.
Talluto's and Mom-Mom's will each be awarded $2,500, while their nominators will get $1,000.
"This year's 'Flavored by Philly' contest has been an extraordinary journey, and we are excited to announce Romano's Stromboli: Special Hot Chips as the winner of our third annual Flavored by Philly Contest," Ed Herr, the Chairman and CEO of Herr's, said in a news release.
Romano's donating $10,000 prize money from Herr's "Flavored by Philly" contest
Peter Romano stopped by CBS News Philadelphia's morning news on Thursday with some good news about the $10,000 prize money.
"We're going to be donating that to our favorite charity, which is Mothers Fighting For Others. It's a charity that helps orphan girls in Kenya and it supports them, feeds them, houses them, educates them," Romano said. "I know the people who started the foundation, so I have a very high degree of confidence that it's going to go to a good cause."
We also heard more about the origins of the chip - it was a back-and-forth with Herr's to get the flavors just right, a process that Romano's 92-year-old father was very involved in.
"It's not a hot chip, but it's got a little bit of a kick. We tried very hard to push the cheese flavor into the chip as well," Romano said.
Romano's was founded in 1944 by Nazzereno Romano, who invented the stromboli sandwich. The restaurant is now in its third generation and is the oldest family-owned and operated Italian restaurant in Delco, according to its website.
"Special Hot Stromboli is a cherished family recipe that's been beloved in our community for generations," Peter Romano, the owner of Romano's, said in a news release. "As long-time fans of Herr's, we're thrilled and grateful for this opportunity. Thanks to Herr's and John Lishok for the nomination, which allowed us to share our family recipe with a broader audience. This recognition is truly humbling, and we're excited to continue sharing our flavors with snack enthusiasts everywhere."
