Still some slots left for prospective chefs

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Now hear this, chili fans: The gauntlet has been thrown.

Ken Paulk, organizer of this month’s Great Bowls of Chili Challenge, said Wednesday his team, the Benicia Chili Heads, expects to wrestle the title of Best Chili from defending champion Rellik Tavern and fend off all other competitors, to boot.

Paulk, who also organized last year’s inaugural event through Benicia Main Street, said the Chili Heads are confident they will be taking top honors — not just the award from a panel of three judges, but the People’s Choice Award, too.

“We’re excited about having this second annual chili challenge,” he said. “We’re throwing down the gauntlet.”

In other words, no matter the forecast — and no matter how spicy the chili created by the nearly two dozen competitors — March 23 is going to be hot in Benicia.

There will be entertainment, too, such as rockabilly music from the Lincoln County Band and electric slide dance lessons by professional ballroom dancer Ron Richardson. There will also be a raffle, with a strangely familiar main prize.

“The barbecue pit is coming home,” Paulk said. Last year he and Twin Oaks Real Estate donated the Home Depot Stoke barbecue to the cookoff; the woman who bought it later donated it to the Benicia Police Officer’s golf tournament last summer. “Then lo and behold, Twin Oaks Real Estate won it in a raffle, so it’s coming back home to where it started, which is the prize drawing at the Great Bowls of Chili cook-off!” Paulk said.

“We want to try to set a Guinness record to see how many times we can recycle that barbecue pit without it being opened or used, back through the third, fourth, fifth Great Bowls of Chili Cookoff,” he said with a laugh.

Paulk said of the 22 total spots available for cook-off competitors, only a few are left. “We’re expecting a full house,” he said.

As of Wednesday, challengers listed on the Benicia Main Street website are: Stark Raven Chili (Rellik Tavern); Rough-N-Ready; Wild Fire; First St. Café; Sprankle’s Deli; Knights of Fire (Knights of Columbus); Rookies Sports Bar & Grill; Flavor; Benicia Chili Heads; Got Plate Lunch Food Trunk; “Trust Us, We Know Fire!” (Benicia Volunteer Fire Department); Jaad Ajlouny; Norcal Bentley; One Bean; Soroptimist International of Benicia with Sandoval’s Mexican Food; BUSD Healthy Cooking with Kids; and Vet’s Club.

Each team must make at least 4 gallons of their chili. Paulk said to expect quite a variety, too.

“We have a lot of great contestants, and there will be a lot of variations. We’re going to have hot, mild. We’re going to have with beans, without beans. We’re going to have lamb, beef, chicken, pork. We’re going to have vegetarian,” he said.

Judges are Kelly Cantrell of First American Title, Ernie Gutierrez representing the veterans of Benicia, and Benicia Herald editor Marc Ethier. Public attendees will have a chance to vote for their favorite chili, as well — an award the Rellik won last year, too.

“Not this time!” Paulk vowed.

If You Go
The Great Bowls of Chili Challenge will be from noon to 4 p.m. at the Benicia Clock Tower, 1189 Washington St. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door for adults, $8 in advance or $12 at the door for children 10 and under. To purchase tickets or register for the competition, visit beniciamainstreet.org/great-bowls-of-chili-challenge.

Go to beniciaherald.me/2012/02/29/chili-challenge-the-winning-recipe-revealed/ to read The Rellik’s winning recipe from the 2012 Benicia Chili Cook-off.