HOMESTYLE RULES
HOMESTYLE CHILI – FIRST YEAR 2012
Establishing the new category of Homestyle Chili will be considered a work in progress. Any necessary changes to the initial process will be made by the ICS. Our goal is to welcome new members to the International Chili Society by establishing a less restrictive level of competition and to qualify as many Homestyle cooks as possible to participate in the ICS World’s Championship Homestyle Chili Cookoff in 2012.
DEFINITION
HOMESTYLE CHILI IS DEFINED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHILI SOCIETY AS THE COOK’S FAVORITE COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS RESULTING IN A DISH SEASONED WITH CHILI PEPPERS AND SPICES.
COOKING
There will be no restriction or requirement as to the ingredients, but the entry must be homemade and have chili pepper flavor.
Garnish is allowed if the cook so desires.
Homestyle chili must be made on site.
A minimum of two gallons of chili must be prepared including 32 ounces for judging.
The cooking period will be determined by the Cookoff Chairman and Sponsoring Organization. The exact starting and ending of the cooking period is to be announced prior to the event. Cooking during the entire cooking period is at the sole discretion of the contestant.
If People’s Choice Chili is required at any event that includes a Homestyle Chili cookoff, the cooks must comply. The cook’s Homestyle chili may be used as People’s Choice, but may not be served until judging cups for Homestyle have been submitted to the judging area.
A Cooks’ Meeting will be held prior to the actual cooking period, during which a general definition of “chili” will be read to the cooks. This same definition will be read to the Judges during the Judges Meeting.
MEMBERSHIP
All Homestyle contestants must be members of the International Chili Society Homestyle Division.
ICS Homestyle only members are not permitted to cook in ANY category of ICS sanctioned events other than Homestyle.
A one-year Homestyle membership fee is $20 and allows the member to participate in any ICS sanctioned Homestyle Chili Cookoff.
Current ICS members wishing to participate in Homestyle events must purchase an ICS Homestyle Division membership for the amount of twenty dollars ($20.00) for a one year membership, and every year thereafter in which they wish to participate.
NO ICS MEMBER WHO HOLDS FULL MEMBERSHIP, INCLUDING ICS HOMESTYLE, MAY PARTICIPATE IN HOMESTYLE AND COMPETITION RED AT THE SAME EVENT. Those holding full membership may, however, compete in either Homestyle OR Traditional Red, Chili Verde, and Salsa at the same event.
Persons applying for membership must be 18 years of age.
In order for a Homestyle cookoff to qualify as a legal event, there must be a minimum of 10 cooks.
The first place winner of a legal ICS sanctioned Homestyle chili cookoff will be qualified to participate in the ICS World’s Championship Homestyle Chili Cookoff in 2012. Once qualified, a Homestyle member cannot continue to participate in any other ICS sanctioned Homestyle event. Homestyle members may compete in unsanctioned cookoffs.
JUDGING
ICS members will not be invited to judge Homestyle cookoffs.
ICS Homestyle cookoffs will be judged by chili lovers invited by the organizers of the cookoff, local celebrities and/or people in attendance at the cookoff. Homestyle is what people eat anytime – any place.
During the judges meeting, a general definition of what is expected as “chili” will be given to the judges. They will be asked to vote for their favorite.
Blind judging procedures will be used in determining the winners. True blind judging is more difficult in the Homestyle category since this type of chili may be recognizable due to the uniqueness of some ingredients. Only general instructions regarding the mechanics of judging will be given at a Judges Meeting prior to the actual judging, i.e., one spoon for each taste, cleanse the palate between each taste, no talking about the chili during the judging, etc.
No relative of a participating Homestyle cook will be allowed to judge or to keep score at the cookoff.
AWARDS
Trophies and/or prize money will be determined by the cookoff chairman and sponsoring organization of individual cookoffs.
Prize money and trophies WILL be awarded to the winners of the 2012 ICS World’s Championship Homestyle Chili Cookoff.
SANCTIONING
Organizations requesting an ICS sanctioned chili cookoff will be given the opportunity to hold either a Homestyle cookoff, a regular ICS event or both.
Current cookoff chairman will be given the opportunity to add an ICS Homestyle category to their cookoff. A fee of $100 will be charged by the ICS in addition to the normal $350 sanction fee.
