A Pot ‘O Chili

Chili seems to be a school or church gathering favorite dish. You can make tons of it for very little cost and it can be made in a variety of ways to meet many different pallets. I’ve recently seen some organizations use chili-making as the focus for a teambuilding exercise or fun activity for their staff; a chili cook-off or competition. How fun is it to coordinate a food competition of any kind? There’s generally little planning, someone else is cooking, most of the time everything is delicious, and you get to hang out with friends or coworkers while doing it. I have personally participated in food competitions (and won some) including chili, cookies, crock-pot, and BBQ dishes to name a few.

What goes into coordinating a food competition? It can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. Some of the logistics may include finding enough space if cooking is being done on-site; room for entrants to bring multiple grills, areas for food prep, and somewhere to set up the food for dining like a buffet line or two. There will also need to be room for people to eat whether that is an organization’s lunchroom, picnic tables at a local park, or rented tables and chairs for a warehouse or parking lot. It also needs to be communicated if the host organization is providing disposables such as plates, plasticware, and napkins, and drinks if even it’s just water, lemonade, or coffee or if people should bring their own. Also, you’ll need to consider if there are bathrooms and water available or if these need to be rented. 

And of course, there’s the judging. Remember, it’s a competition. You’ll want to determine if everyone dining is a judge or if there is a judges panel. Is there a specific time food needs to be done by so a tasting presentation can happen or will a winner be selected at the end of the event by a tally of votes? Is the competition anonymous or does everyone know who cooked which dish? Some people may vote for a certain dish simply because they are friends with a particular cook.  

Because of everyone’s dietary issues and allergies, it is important to have an ingredient list or labels are near each dish so people can make an informed decision if they can or want to taste something. I know for myself, I have a cinnamon allergy. You would be amazed how many food dishes, including chili, hide cinnamon in them; spaghetti sauces, mole sauces, egg rolls, a ton of baked goods, anything with fruit like apple pies and peach cobbler, and more. There are also those who are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, or vegan. 

Remember the prizes. They don’t have to be elaborate. They may even just include bragging rights until the next competition, but it’s fun when there is a reason for someone to participate. Something they receive for whipping up the winning dish. You can create different categories as well if there are many entries. Categories such as spiciest, sweetest, most savory, most colorful, best overall flavor, best presentation, etc. are some options you could offer.

Now that it’s fall, here in Chicago the weather has turned cooler and it’s perfect for chili; white chicken chili, red bean chili, Texas chili, chili con carne, chili verde…

Do you have a great chili recipe? Share it here or send me an email!

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