Chili chefs sought for charity's cookoff
By Laura Collins
Published in News on September 9, 2010 1:46 PM
It's time to break out the slow cookers and dust off the recipe books for the fourth annual Really Chili Challenge benefiting the Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro.
The challenge will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, on Center Street. People are encouraged to attend the event and sample the more than 20 varieties of chili. The chili challenge teams' registration deadline is Oct. 1.
"Cooking teams are being sought to enter the friendly, but fierce competition to win prizes," said Ann Hunter, a member of the Soup Kitchen board of directors.
The categories are Best Tasting Chili, Best Chili Name and Best Decorated Booth. The winners are determined by a panel of judges. The People's Choice category will also be returning to the challenge for a second year. People tasting the chili will vote on the winner at the event.
This year's Really Chili Challenge will not include the 5K run as in past years, although previous years' runners are still encouraged to come and sample the chili, Ms. Hunter said.
In addition to chili tasting, the event will also have entertainment for those in attendance including Tyler Davis, a vocalist and guitarist, Kara Carlson, a singer, and the Back Porch Project, a band reminiscent of the Grateful Dead, Ms. Hunter said.
The Chili Challenge is the only fundraiser for the Community Soup Kitchen of Goldsboro, which hopes to raise $100,000. In 2009, the kitchen served 30,080 meals, which was a 10 percent increase from the 27,370 meals it served in 2008.
Ms. Hunter said the kitchen has also seen an increase this year, especially during the summer with more families and children coming to the soup kitchen. In June, the facility served 2,943 meals; and in July it served 3,052 meals.
The judging will take place at noon on Oct. 23 and awards will be given at 2 p.m. Teams may begin cooking at 7 a.m. that day. There is a $75 registration fee for the cooking teams. Rules and details about the challenge are available at CommunitySoupKitchen.org. Registration deadline is Oct. 1.
The cost per person to attend the event is $5. Children under 6 are free. Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance from the Soup Kitchen and board members and on site the day of the Really Chili Challenge.