Cook-off
A cook-off is a cooking competition where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging either by a select group of judges or by the general public. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors (such as restaurants) with very similar dishes, such as chili, and serves as a way to decide which recipe is the best for that particular dish.[1]
Chili cook-off
A chili cook-off is a social event, similar to a barbecue, in which competitors prepare their own particular recipe for chili con carne and submit it for taste testing. A cook-off may be an informal gathering with the simple goal of sharing recipes and enjoying food, or it may be a large-scale event with an official panel of judges and substantial prizes for winners.
The Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctions over 550 cook-offs annually that raise over $1,000,000 for charity. Corporate CASI, which has the function of sanctioning all of these cook-offs, doing the necessary work to tabulate cookoff results, and putting on the annual Terlingua International Chili Championship, has an annual income of approximately $250,000. Out of this annual income around $60,000 goes to charity. The CASI is a 501(c)(3) corporation.
The International Chili Society (ICS) organizes chili cook-offs as fundraisers. Its annual cook-offs are on a grand scale, with regional qualifying events that attract tens of thousands of participants and a "World Championship" cook-off held in October. The ICS has raised millions of dollars for charity[2] while still awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars to winners.
As early as 1970, many communities have hosted non-ICS cook-offs, leading to a competing "World Championship" cook-off in Terlingua, Texas.
The UK Chilli Cook-off Association organises chilli cook-offs as throughout the UK as fundraisers, culminating in the UK grand final at the Upton Cheyney Chili Festival near Bath, UK - Winners qualify for the World Food Championships Chili Cookoff
Many chili cook-offs were either cancelled or have gone virtually in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]
Notable chili cook-offs
- Chilympiad in San Marcos, Texas (1970–2002)
- Lone Star Chili Cook-off in New York City
See also
- The Great British Bake Off, a British TV cooking competition
References
- https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/entertaining/host-a-chili-cook-off
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- https://bellevillechamber.org/2020/07/20/2020-annual-chili-cook-off-canceled/
- https://www.thegreenlaker.com/2020/06/05/chili-cook-off-canned-by-covid-19-freeland-explores-taking-festival-virtual/
- Canada's Largest Ribfest
- Nugget Rib Cook-Off: Best In The West John Ascuaga's Nugget Reno Nevada NV World Rib Eating Championship BBQ lovers cookers entertainment kids area craft booths summer family ...
- canadasbiggestparty.com
- Toronto Ribfest
External links
- Chili Appreciation Society International, a national/international cook-off organizer and promoter of chili for charity
- Piedmont Pepper Pod, the North Carolina subgroup of CASI
- International Chili Society, a major cook-off organizer
- Munich, Germany's long-running chili cook-off
- Lone Star Chili Cook-off Texas style Chili Cook-off in New York City
- American Seafood Cook-off
- NOLA.com
- The Food Experiments, a NYC-based cookoff series
- Mackinac Island Chili Cook-off, held each February on this remote Island in the Upper Midwest
- The UK Chilli Cook-off Association