With a maximum allotment of entrants and a very selective group of judges the 2011 Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship was perhaps the toughest competition held to date!
Thank you to all who participated, judged and helped to make it happen.
Congratulations to the 2011 Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship winners!
3rd Place - Mark Patterson
2nd Place - Mark Allen
2011 Iowa Chili Cook Off Champion - Nick Gardener
We would like to extend a special Thank You to Chairwoman Marcia Clark. Marcia has organized the Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship for several years and this year was to be her last.
THANK YOU Marcia for a job well done!
Next year Stockman's Inn will again be sponsoring and hosting the Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship. The 2012 event will be held Saturday, August 18, and will be taking place from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Hope you can join us!
The Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship is the official state contest in Iowa for the International Chili Society. The International Chili Society is a not-for-profit organization that sanctions chili
competitions worldwide.
Winners of ICS-sanctioned cook offs are eligible to participate for cash prizes and awards in the 2011 World’s Championship Chili Cookoff to be held September 30th to October 2nd in Manchester, New Hampshire. This will mark the 45th anniversary of the World's Championship Chili Cookoff, with thousands of dollars in prize money on the line for the winner.
Chili cooks do not have to live in the state in which they participate. Many of the contestants in past Iowa Chili Cook Off Championships have come from all over the country, some travelling from as far away as Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and Texas to qualify and advance to the World’s Championship.
The enthusiasm of the participants, and their colorful, festive cooking areas, are part of the fun and pageantry of the Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship. A big part of the chili competition is the excitement participants show in their decorative displays and the passion and pride they have in preparing their chili recipes. The combination of the spicy aromas wafting through the air and the vibrant colors of “Chili City” livens the senses, creating an enticing, zesty and tasty event.
Judges are selected from a variety of backgrounds and are asked to select their favorites based on flavor, texture of the meat, consistency, the blend of spices, aroma and color. One caveat, beans are not allowed. The International Chili Society view beans and pasta as "filler", so contestants prepare their traditional red chili "Texas-style", with a variety of meats, sauces and vegetables such as tomatoes & onions.
To be an Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship competitor a chili cook must be a member of the International Chili Society. Membership forms, and annual membership dues of $50, will be accepted prior to the competition. After joining, chili cooks are welcome to compete.
For more information, or to register for the Iowa Chili Cook Off Championship, contact Marcia Clark at
(641) 774-4677 or email at mjcexcell@iowatelecom.net.
Contestants may also register through the International Chili Society website by going to:
http://www.chilicookoff.com/Event/Event_Contestant.asp?EventID=1848.
After contestants have submitted their chili to the judges at 1:00 PM, FREE samples of their chili will be made available to spectators.
So make sure to come by Stockman’s for a
HOT time at a really cool event!