The Rules

Vegetarian chilis are welcome for their own category or put them up to be judged against the meaty ones (you know who you are!). Cookies are the free-est-form category we’ve got, do your best and we’ll try to make sure you don’t have any leftovers to take home. We look forward to seeing you all there and having your entrance fee donated to a yet-to-be-confirmed charity!

Categories and Prizes:

  • Best Chili
  • Best Vegetarian Chili
  • Hottest Chili
  • Best Cookies (very loose definition of cookies here, the judges use discretion!)

Rules for Competitors

  • Entrance fees go to a charity. For reference, in 2014 we raised €445.
  • Pay at the door – COMPETITORS : FREE! SPECTATORS : 5 Euros
  • There is a VEGETARIAN Chili category.
  • The judges ask those who are going for the Hottest Chili prize to please LABEL THEIR POTS specifically so we can save them for last.
  • Amounts: There will be at least three judges and they each need a portion, then after the judging everyone is welcome to sample the chilis. Please make one pot of chili per recipe entered.
  • No ingredients are banned, no ingredients are required.
  • Hotplates will hopefully be available, Please bring your chili already prepared in a metal pot, not Tupperware!
  • Creative chili names are highly encouraged! Label your own pot and specify if you’re competing for hotness and / or vegetarian!
  • If anyone wants to help out with logistics, contact Stephen Dell!
  • Doors open to accept competitors at 14:00 hrs.
    Judging starts at 15:00 hrs sharp.

 

Rules for Judges aka Scoring Guidelines

Chili and cookies will be rated on a 5-point scale for each of the five categories:

  1. Appearance – chili / cookies should appear appetizing and should reflect the ingredients used.
  2. Aroma – Chili / cookies should have a pleasant scent. The smell should also indicate what’s in store when you taste it.
  3. Heat Balance – For chili, this can most easily be detected in the aftertaste and is characterized by the heat created by the various spices and/or peppers. Heat should be present, but not overpowering. (The Hottest Chili gets its own prize, we don’t expect hot cookies but who knows!)
  4. Texture/Mouthfeel – Chili must have a good ratio between sauce and protein. The ideal chili will have a thick consistency. It should NOT be dry, watery, grainy, lumpy or greasy. Cookies can be chewy, crunchy, tender, flaky… appealing!
  5. Taste – Above all, taste is the most important factor. Up to you!

Judge each chili / cookie on its own merit; do not compare them to each other!

Clear your palate between entries with a beverage of your choice.

Each entry has its own sheet for its scores, you score with your own colored pen so you know which ones you’ve done and we don’t have too much tallying to do.

Hot chilis are to be tested last!