Sheiss, Banks, Schmitt and Zartman Romano take top awards in first-ever Fire & Ice Festival Chili Cookoff
(Talk of The Town photo by Eddie Beagles) Winners of the Fire & Ice Festival Chili Cookoff are, from left, Kelley Sheiss - People's Choice, Amanda Banks - Most Unusual and Jennifer Zartman Romano and Sarah Schmitt - Greatest Bowl of Fire.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Whether it was the spice of the chili peppers or the heat of hundreds of people standing shoulder to shoulder in the tent on the lawn of the Whitley County Courthouse Sunday afternoon, one thing is for sure – the Whitley County Council on Aging’s first Chili Cookoff was a hot place to be Sunday afternoon.
“We were expecting about a hundred people to come out for the event,” said Marie Hockemeyer, a coordinator of the event which raised funds for the new senior citizens center in Columbia City. So…it came as something of a shock to all – including the chili contestants – when more than 400 people came out for the event.
According to PJ Shoda who also helped with the event, it was hard to determine exactly how many people did come out for the event, but it was likely more than 400 since participants not only ran out of small containers to serve their chili – but nearly all ran out of chili to serve.
“Next year we’ll have to have more chili,” Shoda said, smiling, “and a bigger tent.”
In all, the event raised more than $1,000 for the senior center building fund, delighting the many Whitley County Council on Aging members present for the fundraiser.
“That’s going to be really nice for the senior center,” Hockemeyer said.
Eleven unique chili recipes were entered into the contest – including several white chilis, chilis featuring an assortment of different meats and interesting ingredients…including chocolate and coffee.
Kevin Richey, Drew Wilks and Reece Henry of Heyerly’s Meats in South Whitley brought three varieties for sampling – a classic redbean, white and a no bean, Texas-style chili. They said the redbean and white versions will be on sale at the market this week for those who were unable to attend the event Sunday to try them.
After serving hundreds of hungry tasters and a panel of judges, the winners were announced in the gazebo on the courthouse lawn at 3 p.m. Sunday. Judges included Mayor Jim Fleck, Lea Ann Herron, John Dunn, Dan Weigold, Janet Hindbaugh and Deb Roy.
Garnering the vote of the people of Whitley County, Kelley Sheiss was selected as the winner of the People’s Choice award. She was presented with a tall red trophy. Sheiss is a resident of Etna Troy township.
Winning the award for the most unusual chili recipe and a cash prize of $50 was Columbia City resident Amanda Banks.
The first prize (Greatest Bowl of Fire) award and $75 went to the chili obsessed team of Sarah Schmitt and Jennifer Zartman Romano, a team sponsored by Talk of The Town.
As they stood on Chauncey Street following the award ceremony, Hockemeyer, Shoda and Gene Heckman discussed the high points of the day, marveling at their good fortune in having had good weather and such an outstanding crowd at the event.
“The Lord provided us with good weather,” Heckman concluded, “and a very good day.”
Editor's Note: For those who asked for the recipe at the chili cookoff, the "Talk of The Town Chili" recipe will be posted later this week in the Retrospective column.