I was one of the seven celebrity judges who scored in Round 1 of the competition. Thirteen different peppers were tasted and each participant was scored on appearance, consistency and mouthfeel, overall taste and marketability. After the scores were tabulated, the top five were announced and another set of judges chose the winner, Chile.
According to Apolito, Chile is less than two points behind the top five.
Some of my favorite chili in the contest weren’t your typical tomato-based chili.
Gilbert, a Dayton firefighter who has been with the fire department for 12 years, brought a white chicken chili to the contest. He told his Dayton.com that he participated last year and came close to winning, but his chili was too hot, and this year he decided to turn down the heat and smoke many of the ingredients, such as chicken and peppers. Did.
“It’s a little spicy, but it has enough creaminess in it that it tastes really good,” said Gilbert. “A lot of love went into this recipe.”
Gilbert’s chili was served with cornbread, which he described as being the recipe of the famous Dayton firefighter.
Another favorite of mine is made by Leah Napier and Ameile Kava, seniors in the culinary program at Centerville High School.
The two told Dayton.com that they worked together in a class and won a previous chili pepper contest. Their chili was soup based and served with cheese, sour cream, coriander and a slice of lime.
The winning chili recipe used diced tomatoes, green chillies, ground beef, chili beans, habanero peppers, bacon grease, sugar, and a few other ingredients. Personally, I felt it was a really solid chili that allowed me to see myself serving my family on a cold winter day.
Apolito says Archer’s Tavern began hosting Chilean cookouts in 2010, when the restaurant first opened.
“I love hearing the contestants,” said Apolito. “There are many recipes that have been passed down for generations.”
He added that some of the recipes were inspired by travel and experimentation and worked surprisingly well.
“What all the stories have in common is that the ‘chefs’ love to prepare chilies and share them with friends and family,” says Apolito. “Chili is one of those unique dishes that is always shared when people get together.”
The Chili Cook-Off was also a fundraiser for Centerville High School’s culinary program. Guests were able to purchase chili samples for $2 each. Proceeds help fund student educational trips to Orlando, Florida.
Archer’s Tavern has two locations: 9496 Dayton Lebanon Pike in Centerville and 2030 E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering. For restaurant details, please visit www.archerstavern.com.
