At chili cookoffs, comfort food brings community together

Chili has always been my comfort food. I’ve been eating it since I was a kid, spoiled early by my Grandma Gerhard’s version whenever we visited her in Louisville, Kentucky. Hers was a little soupy, served with spaghetti cooked in it, with big chunks of stewed tomatoes – somewhere in the Cincinnati-style neighborhood, but really its own thing. To me, that bowl still tastes like home.

When I started cooking for myself, chili naturally became part of the rotation. No two pots were ever the same. Some were thicker, some thinner, some spicier than intended. Over time, I found my rhythm. I still like a little heat, but that’s the beauty of chili – everyone has their own idea of what makes it just right.

That might be why chili cookoffs are so much fun.

I’ve attended plenty over the years – sometimes tasting, sometimes cooking, sometimes judging – and they’re always tied to a good cause. Local groups and charities bring people together over roasters and crockpots, and even folks who don’t love chili show up to support their friends. It’s hard not to like an event built around food and community.

Recently, I entered the Chatham Chili Cookoff, a fundraiser for the Chatham Historical Society. In past years, I’d gone as a taster, but this time some friends convinced me to throw my hat in the ring. Tasters make a donation, grab a tray and scorecard, and work their way through all the entries – organized chaos in the best possible way.

And the competition? Tough.

My friend Tony Bianco of Parlour Farms took home Best Tasting Chili with a rich entry made from Mangalitsa pork he and his wife, Jaime, raise. Cat Keller made a beef cheek chili that was incredibly tender and flavorful. Both were fantastic. That’s the thing about these contests – you show up thinking you know what you like, and then someone surprises you.

Throughout the night, plenty of tasters asked if my chili was spicy. I suppose that’s my signature. For me, chili means a balance of meat, tomatoes, peppers, cumin, garlic and paprika – flavors that warm you up without overwhelming the bowl. But taste is personal. What’s perfect to one person might be too bold or too mild for someone else.

Case in point: the People’s Choice winner was a moose chili with a slightly sweet, hearty profile that clearly connected with the crowd. And that’s exactly how it should be. The people decide.

More than anything, these events are about community – catching up with friends, meeting Medina Weekly readers, sampling 10 completely different interpretations of the same dish. That’s the real prize. We wrapped up with a group photo of our jokingly named “Chili Mafia,” which included me, Tony Bianco, Cat Keller and, most importantly, back-to-back Chatham Chili Cookoff winner (2024 and 2025) Jim Schneider. That was my favorite moment.

Because in the end, chili isn’t about trophies. It’s about sharing a table.

As always, eat fresh, dine local and be happy.