RECAP: Squatchsami with Chelsea Rose
Monday, February 16th, 2026 — Squatchsami Fish and Chips Outpost, Lincoln City, Oregon
On February 16th, every seat in the new brick & mortar of Squatchsami in Lincoln City, Oregon was taken for a fun evening of fish, education and seafood myth busters! Guests gathered to celebrate their local price around Oregon’s commercial fishing fleet while digging into some of the best fish and chips on the coast.
If you’ve ever grabbed a basket from Squatchsami’s beloved food truck, you already know the hype is real. Owned and operated by Ken and Debbie, Squatchsami has been voted “Best of the Beach” thanks to their scratch-made comfort food and commitment to sustainably sourced fish. With a mission to get Atlantic cod off Oregon fish and chips menus, they’ve built their reputation on showcasing just how good Oregon-landed seafood can be. It’s crispy, flaky, and caught close to home!! Their newly opened brick-and-mortar space, right across from Siletz Bay, debuting just in time for Winter Waters 2026, gave the community the perfect place to gather.
The evening’s special guests, Cari and Cody of Chelsea Rose Seafood, brought the fishing industry straight to the dining room. As guests enjoyed baskets of award-winning Oregon-caught fish and chips (many wisely pre-ordered to beat the rush), Cari shared what it really takes to run a small, family-owned fishing operation on the central Oregon coast.
Chelsea Rose Seafood is a multi-generational family business rooted in deep respect for the ocean and the people who depend on it. They specialize in hook-and-line caught albacore tuna, halibut, salmon, crab, lingcod, and rockfish, harvesting each fish with care to ensure exceptional quality while eliminating bycatch. As proud stewards of the resource, they operate as a zero-waste facility, utilizing the whole fish through skilled fillet work and transforming remaining portions into canned products. As a consumer, you can enjoy their seafood by walking down to their boat and buying seafood directly from them!
Cari and Cody brought Oregon-caught albacore tuna to Squatchsami for the event so guests could choose either albacore or lingcod for their fish & chips.
Guests had the chance to ask their “fishy questions,” from how quotas work to what sustainable fishing really looks like out on the water. That conversation naturally led into a Mythbusters-style game focused on Oregon’s fishing industry. Winter Waters co-founders posed multiple-choice questions and invited guests to raise their hands for the answer they thought was correct. While we were impressed by how much the crowd already knew, several questions were intentionally designed to spotlight common misconceptions. With Cari and Cody there to weigh in, we were able to clear up those myths on the spot and give everyone a better understanding of the realities of commercial fishing on the Oregon coast.
This event was a reminder of how interconnected Oregon’s coastal communities are with fishermen, chefs, restaurant owners, and diners all playing a part. Squatchsami continues to prove that casual comfort food can tell a powerful story, and Chelsea Rose Seafood showed exactly why supporting local fleets matters.
A huge thank you to Explore Lincoln City for their invaluable support of our events in Lincoln City. As the official destination management organization for the area, they play a vital role in connecting visitors and locals alike with the natural beauty, culture, and experiences that make this part of the Oregon Coast so special. Their partnership helped enhance community engagement and visibility for Winter Waters programming, and we are truly thankful for their commitment to promoting Lincoln City as a vibrant place to gather, explore, and celebrate. Thank you to the team at Explore Lincoln City for supporting our efforts and helping us bring meaningful moments to life on the coast.