Oh boy. Things are going to be a little bit different from now on : )
Ten years ago (look at all the hair we had!) we upped the old ante. It used to considered a contest for the chefs to arrive with chilis in a crock-pot, already prepared and ready for judging. But this has all changed! For the 10th consecutive year – the Oliver’s Groundhog Day Chili Cookoff is providing chefs a single burner gas cook-stove – and all chilis will be cooked ON SITE!
So, you’ll have to bring EVERYTHING you need to make your chili – all ingredients (hint – wash, chop and bag them individually at home before you arrive) cook pots, cutting boards, knives, spoons, spices, (crying) towels, and any other items that you need to ensure a world class chili. You will be provided with a beautiful single gas burner, gas, igniter, prep area, garbage can, and an atmosphere of PARTY PARTY PARTY (music, drink, and plenty of fun).
All Chilis will be cooked on site!
You can bring a prepared spice blend, canned tomatoes, beans, uncooked meat(s), vegetables, stock, and any other ingredients necessary to prepare your masterpiece. You must make the spice CHILI the star. (No smokey Chicken Stews will be allowed.)
But you cannot bring pre-cooked chili.
You must produce a minimum of 8 cups of chili (12 prefered – so we all get a taste). All chilis will be served ‘blind’ to the judge(s).
REMEMBER: There is a separate award for Best in Show. Your first presenation of chili will be solely judged on appearance and presentation. BRING YOUR OWN BOWL(S) to present your chili in to the judge(s). Marks will be awarded for presentation. Garnishes ARE FULLY ALLOWED and ENCOURAGED for Best in Show. (see complete list of Prize/Awards for details)
JUDGING UPDATES
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Sometime in the late stages of cooking and prior to the first round of any judging – a balloted vote amongst the actual Chefs for People’s Choice Award will take place. This has always proven to be a hotly contested Award and over the past 7 years only two chefs have shared the coveted honour. Paul Darby (3) and Kathleen Wright (3). Supposedly this award is to signify who the chefs think has the best chili, but really it’s a Popularity/Congeniality/Political Positioning Power Play contest. So please be aware that chefs may be coyly working the crowded Chili Stadium to influence this vote and you are also encouraged to participate in the schmoozing!
CHILI AWARDS
This year, as we did for the last three years, your chili will be judged twice.
1) CHILI CHAMP (Best Chili) Judged just as a chili. Points for all things edible. Pure and simple.
2) BEST (and Worst) IN SHOW. Judged for appearance only. This is known locally as “Churching Up the Chili” You are encouraged to dress up your chili in a fancy bowl, with shaved ruttabaga roots, crumbled cookies and stuffed into a hollowed out lime (Heather L!!!).
Now here’s how it works.
YOUR CHILI WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE JUDGE FOR SEPARATE JUDGING CRITERIA
FIRST PRESENTATION – For BEST IN SHOW as above with all of the frills you desire., then,
SECOND PRESENTATION – For BEST CHILI in a separate an anonymous new plain bowl supplied by the host.
So, to recap.
The judge will be presented with an array of very decorative chilis to judge solely on their appearance. The judge doesn’t taste these chilis. Just looks at them and judges them on “SHOW”.
Then…
The judge will be presented with a new collection of newly randomly numbered house supplied identical bowls with JUST YOUR CHILI in them (no churching here). The judge judges these chilis for all of the wonderful elements that the judge has determined, wanting and necessary in a winning chili.
For the Best in Show Chili. only one round of judging will take place. There will be comments made and read by the judge on all of the Churched up chilis. But only a Best in Show and a Worst in Show will be awarded.
For the Chili Champ, Best Chili – there will be two rounds of judging. the judge will taste, make and read comments on all chilis. Then the Judge will announce the Top 6 and the rest are clumped together, tied for 7th place. The Top 6 will then have a few minutes to resubmit a freshly heated bowl of their Playoff Round Chili with the same random numbers as the first round so as to keep some semblance of continuity for the judge. Then these chilis will be tasted and judged, comments made and finally read and the Top 6 will be counted down in reverse order until we have a Chili Champ (number 1 Best Chili) and a Reserve Champ (number 2).
Following this, traditionally there are all many protests of how the contest was “rigged” and other sour grape type demonstrations.
Then we laugh it all off, clean up our stations and sarcastically congratulate the winner!
That’s how it works!
Can’t wait to see the devil in the details on Saturday Feb 2nd, 2019.
Remember to BRING YOUR INSIDE SHOES along will EVERYTHING YOU’LL NEED to cook your chili. You are only provided a burner and a very limited amount of table space. Come prepared with all of your ingredients chopped and in baggies (only a suggestion).
Any questions – email, text, call or otherwise contact me.
Signed with Love and Heat,
Your Sexy Chili Hosts,
Mark and Laura Oliver
xoxo
www.chilicookoff.ca
Banned Substances
I’m serious. Some stuff you just can’t eat!
BANNED
1 ) Liquid Smoke
2 ) Bill Collectors
3 ) Commercially prepared Chili (or Chili Con Carne)
4 ) Polonium 210
5 )“Herbal Womb Detox Pearls,”
6) Performance Enhancing Cycling Drugs
7 ) Attempts to “Break the Internet” with Photoshopped selfies of your nakedness.
8 ) Ebola Flavouring
9) Puns
10) Rosemary (Darby only)
11) Chicken (Pete only)
12) Bragging about how you just joined Planet Fitness
Note: Although recently a winning Chili was widely praised for it’s uniquely Cinnamon flavour – Cinnamon has only been placed on the Watch List, still not yet fully banned.