RED APRON CHILI COOKOFF - FEBRUARY 25, 2012
RED APRON CHILI COOKOFF THIS SATURDAY TO BENEFIT
BLUFFTON SELF HELP
FIRST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CHILI SOCIETY CHILI COOKOFF
IN BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD AREA
February 20, 2012, Bluffton, SC——The knives are sharp for chopping, the stoves fueled for cookin’ and the smell of peppers, tomatoes and onions are ready to permeate the outdoor air at Tanger 2 Outlet Center Hilton Head this Saturday starting at 10 am. It’s CHILI COOKING TIME!
The Red Apron Chili Cookoff, a benefit for Bluffton Self Help, is the first International Chili Society sanctioned cookoff in Bluffton/Hilton Head and it will feature over 20 cooks with 20 different chilies and salsas. Cooks will travel from Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and our own South Carolina to compete for the best of the best chilies and salsa.
“We are really pleased with the variety of chilies that will be offered to spectators,” said Lili Coleman, executive director, Bluffton Self Help. “We have five local restaurants joining in on the fun, offering spectators a taste of their prized recipes in the People’s Choice category, in addition to the competing categories.”
Chili cooking team names show the spirit of the competition and include Tiger Bite Chili, Fatt Matt and the Anchos, Frontier Chili, Barkers Best, Smokehouse Chili, Chili Dawgs, Real Champions, Chili Up, and more!
Cooks start chopping at 9 am and spectators can start arriving at 10 am when the first stoves fire-up. The Chili Verde; green chili, will start the competition followed by Salsa, Homestyle Chili and Red Traditional Chili. Cooks are required to prepare the Chili Verde, Homestyle and Red Traditional on site. The Salsa and People’s Choice categories can be prepared ahead of time and brought to the event.
Each chili follows specific rules set by the International Chili Society. Tasting of People’s Choice chilies begins at 11 am and continues throughout the day while supplies last and as other chilies are cooking and competing in the judging process.
Judging of the four categories (Chili Verde, Salsa, Homestyle and Red Traditional) by the official judges begins in the judging tent at 12:30 pm with Salsa followed by Chili Verde, Homestyle and Red Traditional. Spectators, standing outside the tent, are welcome to watch the judges while they taste the entries in a double blind process. Judges include Barry Kaufmann of Hilton Head Monthly Magazine, Tray Hunter of Palmetto Electric, Joseph Iaco of Bluffton Today, Brittany Shane of WSAV, Bruce Christensen of Belfair Plantation, Ted Huffman of Bluffton Barbecue, Dee Lehr and Rick Techel. –more-
Spectators will judge the People’s Choice chilies and vote for their favorite as by 3:45 pm. Containers will be available at the gate to vote for your favorite!
Entertainment will begin at 10:30 am with the The Great Pretenders and follow at 12:30 pm with Low Country Boil who will perform until the winners of the cookoff are announced at approximately 4 pm.
Other offerings at the cookoff include hot dogs, chips, beverages (including beer, wine, water and sodas), as well as additional tasting and drinking tickets.
Cost to attend the event is $10 with a bag of nonperishable food items or $15 without. Spectators receive 10 tickets with their entry fee to be used for chili tasting and refreshments.
“By donating a bag of can goods, pastas, rice, beans, peanut butter and such, we can fill our food pantry,” explained Coleman. “We offer four food distributions to Bluffton residents each week and our pantry continues to be challenged to meet the needs of the hungry in our community.”
Restaurants participating include Captain Woody’s, 9 Promenade, Old Carolina, Stooges Cafe and Berkeley Plantation.
Sponsors of this first year event include Palmetto Electric, Hilton Garden Inn, Comfort Suites, Bluffton Today, the Island Packet, Publix and Bloomfield Senior Living.
For more information, contact Lili Coleman at 843-757-8000 or visitwww.blufftonselfhelp.org. With about four spaces remaining, cooks and restaurants can register for the Homestyle category for as little as $20, now through the end of this week.
BLUFFTON SELF HELP, INC.
Bluffton Self Help, Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Bluffton, SC and was founded in 1987. The mission of the organization is to help those individuals in the greater Bluffton area who are in need of short-term, documented financial assistance and to also provide them with the most fundamental needs, such as FREE food and clothing, while urging them to become more self-reliant. In the past year the agency has assisted over 22,000 clients.
UNITED WAY OF THE LOWCOUNTRY
United Way of the Lowcountry campaign contributions fund 32 partner agencies and 42 programs in Beaufort and Jasper counties. Those partner agencies focus on one or more of United Way’s priorities to achieve better HEALTH, EDUCATION, SHELTER, NUTRITION and INCOME in Beaufort and Jasper counties. ###
