Chili contestants score big in in cook-off contests

BATAVIA – Amid the chili laurels flying at the 26th annual Illinois State Championship Chili Cook-Off on July 28 at the Batavia Riverwalk, bragging rights for a brand new category went to Batavia School District 101 as the People's Choice Winner for Community Chili.

The school district competed against the Batavia Park District, library, fire department and Chamber of Commerce, which came in a close second, according to the chamber's announcement of results.

Competition also was tight in the state championship contest sanctioned by CASI – or Chili Appreciation Society International. Bill Pierson of Batavia, the event’s co-founder, reports first-place honors went to his wife, Cheryl Pierson, who was among the 27 cooks proving their mettle from as far away as Washington state.

“It was a very competitive cook-off with only five points separating second and 11th places,” Bill Pierson stated in an email.

Defending champ Bill Pierson’s own chili earned eighth place and Marty Apel of Batavia took ninth.

The hot sauce tasting competition, organized by Gindo’s Spice of Life in Batavia, had multiple contenders who refused to give in as the sauces’ heat factor climbed, so no winner was declared.