Chili Cookoff

Checkout the 2008 winner here ...

Who Else Wants to Cook Perfect Chili? 

Come to the 17th Annual Chili Cookoff

 and Join in the Fun! 

This Year's Theme: “Satan's Own: Hell Fire Chili”

29 November 2008 at  Bali Hai 

Once again Bali Hai will host the Annual Chili Cookoff sponsored by the local VFW Post 9892. The cookoff is probably the major resort attraction of the year and is held on the last Saturday in November.  

The cookoff is organized by retired American military personnel attached to the Col. B.J Smith VFW Post 9892, just down the road from Bali Hai. A former Event Chairman, Roger Limle,  says, "Lots of retired service folk live in the Philippines - we're just carryin' on the tradition." And quite a tradition it is ... 

The tradition started in 1967 when the International Chili Society (ICS) held a world cookoff in Terlingua, a ghost town in Texas. The cookoff quickly spread to the Philippines where it eventually found a home in the mountains of Baguio at Camp John Hay. 

The cookoff ran for eleven years until the base was handed over to the Philippines in 1991. It was then that the VFW Post 9892 took over. "It was an era come to an end," Roger says in a Missouri drawl, "but not the end of the cookoffs. We just moved 'em down the mountain to the beach." 

The cooking booths will be set in Bali Hai's tropical garden by our swimming pool. Here approximately thirty teams of chiliheads from all over Luzon will compete, each putting its kettle to the mettle and cooking up a mess of chili that will range from ho-hum mild to WOW - rocket fuel!  

Cooking will start at 8:30 A.M. and will continue until 12:30 A.M. During this time the breeze will be heavy with aroma bubbling from chili pots: spices, onions, chili powder, bay leaves, cumin, and of course those secret ingredients each team keeps out of sight but hopes will sway the judges.  

The VFW lays down RULES based on those of the International Chili Society - each team must cook at least one gallon of chili and submit 12 ounces for judging. The judges base their verdict on five criteria: flavor, aroma, color, consistency, and taste - each on a scale from 1 to 10.  

Once the judges have collected their chili samples for judging, you will be able to get your own free samples. So come along and do your own (unofficial) judging!

While the judging is going on The Miss Chili Pepper Contest will get underway. Judged on creativity and poise, the

contestants will parade by the Bali Hai pool in costumes of choice - they will later parade in swimwear. 

There will be lots of memorabilia for you to take home, all with the Chili Cookoff theme emblazoned on them: shirts, hats, towels and more.

Click here to read a humorous article about the winners of the 2004 Chili Cookoff: And The Chili Winner Is ...