Of all the words to describe the recipes debuted at the 11th Annual Chili Cook-Off, “boring” would not be one of them.
The competition which shuts down Buchanan’s Front Street each year saw creativity and passion from each chef that vied for a championship title, which included the people’s choice award, judge’s choice, best-named chili and team spirit.
This year more than 700 people flooded the downtown to cast their votes for the award winning recipes.
The Buchanan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Buchanan Meadows Meridian Senior Living hosted this year’s event.
In the years since it has become a tradition, the event is most known for bringing the community together for a little friendly competition and a flavorful, fun event that appeals to anyone with taste buds.
Many of the recipes sampled honed in the chef’s passion for creativity, cooking skills and thrill of the competition. Both residents and a panel of judges, which included Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey, Morning Show Host Matt Malone from Y-Country 97.5 and Buchanan’s band director, Mark Hollandsworth, voted for their favorite.
The event’s proceeds not used to cover the cost of the function went toward the Buchanan Band Boosters, which will help the middle and high school band have the chance to go to Florida to play at a Disney World parade.
From inside an antique gallery along Front Street, John Sexton, of Berrien Springs, who also goes by the “Pantless Chef,” wore only a long chef’s coat as he served up a batch of his “Crack o’ the Devil Chili.”
The 28 quarts of chili was laden with egg whites, 10 lbs. of potatoes and bacon, and to top it off, a deviled egg.
Sexton, who has competed in the cook-off for the past two years, said his inspiration for the chili was a farmer’s breakfast omelet. His chili also contained a hint of flavorful fire, culminated from a mixture of sriracha and jalapeno.
Sexton said he wanted to create something bold.
“Everybody loves bacon, so I went with bacon,” Sexton said.
Taking a bite of the “Crack o’ the Devil Chili,” Dee Dee Lindamood, of Buchanan, said she enjoyed the spice and the innovative ingredients.
“The fact that it has egg in it is amazing and it has got a good kick,” Lindamood said. “It is just delicious. It was different. I did not know if it was cheese, tofu and it turned out it was egg.”
What she said she liked most about the egg was the texture it gave to the chili.
For the past five years, Lindamood has returned to the chili cook-off because she said she enjoys the sense of community. This year, she brought a newcomer to the event, her son, Robert Lindamood, of Niles.
The bold flavors of Sexton’s “Crack o’ the Devil Chili” also appealed to judges, who selected Sexton’s chili as the judge’s choice winner.
Other long-time champions fought to hold down their title Wednesday evening. One such team was the McCoy’s Creek Tavern, who, for the past seven years, has been awarded the people’s choice award for their white chicken chili.
“You take as much as you want, honey,” said McCoy’s Creek Tavern manager
Stephanie Skalla as she helped to serve up chili at the packed restaurant along Front Street.
This year, the white chicken chili returned in the form of the “Unicorn’s Last Supper.” The restaurant also entered its red house chili into the cook-off, which they called “Chuck Norris Would Approve: Throat Punch Chili.”
Despite having worked a double shift the day before the event, Skalla set to work making the chili the night before the cook-off, so it would have plenty of time to stew.
Crafting food that does not take shortcuts or compromise freshness is at the core of the restaurant’s mission, she said — a mission that is apparent in the taste of the chili.
“We take the extra step,” Skalla said. “The biggest part about making anything good is caring.”
Those who tried the chili seemed to be responding favorably, as the chili was quickly running out.
“They are like, ‘that is amazing,’” Skalla said.
Though the team did not take home this year’s people’s choice award, many enjoyed both varieties of chili.
Other teams took a sweeter approach to the chili competition. Haven’s Retreat Day Spa created a dessert chili, which they called “The Last Stop Chili.”
In place of beans, tomatoes and sour cream, the sweet treat featured cherries and chocolate chips, pie crumbs, whipped cream and a sour patch candy.
“We wanted to stand out,” said business owner Sherri Daniel. “It is a combination of sweet and sour and lots of different textures and just lots of fun.”
Others who participated sought to remember fallen comrades. The Department of Public Works team created “Magic’s Smokin’ Chili” in the name of street department operator Mike Meyer, who died recently after a heart attack.
Meyer had helped to participate in the chili cook-off for the past two of the three years that the group has competed. He was known by co-workers as “Magic.” Team member Jim Mosier said he could not remember how Meyer earned the name. It was just something everyone called him.
Meyer was also widely known for using his own smokers to smoke meat.
Carrying on this tradition, the “Magic’s Smokin’ Chili” featured smoked meat.
In front of the Department of Public Work’s serving booth, some spirit for the event was on display, as three children, Eva Shepherd, 12; Alyvia Baker, 10 and Adyson Baker, 8, dressed as chili peppers and danced in the street as they cheered on the Department of Public Works.
“It gets the city together and it is fun,” Mosier said. “Everybody has fun coming out.”
Meyer’s namesake recipe worked its magic. This year, the team’s recipe was voted as the people’s choice award.