The streets of downtown Kalamazoo were bustling on Saturday as the city held its 20th annual chili cook-off, with locals and visitors alike showing up to savor a variety of chili dishes from over 30 participants. The event, set underneath sunny skies, provided a welcome reprieve from recent cold weather, drawing hundreds to sample and judge the comforting concoctions offered by area restaurants and businesses. "It’s become an opportunity to really break out of the winter doldrums we’ve been in especially last week, and walk inside some of these businesses that make us special and make us unique," Clarence Lloyd, the director of Southwest Michigan First Chamber, told WWMT.
Patrons at the event had the opportunity to vote for their favorite chili using their smartphones, vying for awards like people's choice, and judge's choice. Meanwhile, restaurants competed not only for bragging rights but also for titles including best retail and best restaurant. The culinary stakes were high for groups such as Kalamazoo Public Schools, which had previously won three awards. "I’m the new executive chief, so it’s my first year taking over the recipe. We rotate throughout our department," Josh Kerby with KPS told Woodtv. "And I’m hoping to be bringing home a trophy this year." In the end, Factory Coffee snatched the people's choice award, while Alibi Bar and Grille, in conjunction with Kalamazoo Candle Company, won the judge's choice award.
The competition wasn't only for seasoned pros. First-timers like Totally Brewed Cafe and the recently opened Alibi in Portage dished up their best chili in hopes of winning over the crowds. "Feeding people is kind of my love language, too," Ashley Mulder of Totally Brewed Cafe told Woodtv. The efforts paid off for Alibi, taking home the judge's choice award which was a significant achievement for the establishment that has only been open for about eight months. "Just absolutely major, just fun to see this many people and reach this community," Alibi's Executive Chief Jeffrey Lee said, following the win.
The annual chili cook-off also coincided with cultural events like the Kalamazoo Public Library's "bag sale," enabling attendees to take home gently used media at bargain prices amidst their culinary exploration. For those wanting to partake, "for a nominal fee, you can get a spoon, a map of the participants, and get started," Jane Ghosh of Discover Kalamazoo explained to wkzo. The cook-off started at 11 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m., but not before one venue reportedly closed early because all of their chili was gone, a testament to the event's popularity and the community's voracious appetite for chili.
