JROTC’s Chili cook-off heats up program.
Photo by Rebecca Holt
On October 26th, JROTC held the first annual Chili Cook-off in room 5 at TJ, initiating the event with pots full of flavorsome chili and a group of ravenous staff and students.
The cook-off was organized by Master Sergeant Brian Wyatt and Chief Warrant Officer Charles Gaines, hosting the event in a room full of chips, toppings, and steaming pots of chili. Many of the entrees in the event had themes, such as “Festive Fall Vegetarian Chili,” “Black With Envy Chili,” and “Kick-Butt Chili.” There were ultimately seven competing entrees, each with a unique recipe and a dedicated creator.
Students enjoying the numerous chili entrees had a choice of either a large bowl of one chili, or small samples of each chili for $5. “The money goes to JROTC,” said Wyatt. “It goes to the honor platoon drill team, the rifle teams, and also is used for the upkeep of uniforms and equipment.”
At the event, approximately 30 people, including both students and teachers, attended. Among the students was Senior Thomas Currington, who seemed to have great fervor for chili. “[The cook-off] was great,” said Thomas. “There a was great atmosphere, there was great food. You pretty much get to come in after school, eat some chili, and grab some soda. It’s awesome.” Thomas also showed vast approval of the “Holii Chili”, asserting that it was the best out of the bunch.
“Holii Chili” also met approval with Tyler Dodson, another attendee of the cook-off. “It was definitely the best,” said Dodson. “The whole cook-off was great, though. I loved it. I’m definitely doing this again next year.” Tyler also added that he found “Renee’s Homemade Pork Green Chili” to be by far the spiciest.
After the students had their fill of the chili, the judging began. The resident judges were Mary Hayhurst, Scott Lessard, Mike Laurita, and Zachary Bahl. Bahl is a culinary manager at Red Lobster, which donated money to the JROTC program this year. Each judge was presented with a small sample of each chili, grading the chili on quality of aroma, color, consistency, taste, and aftertaste.
After the tasting and grading, Wyatt examined the judges’ responses, then declared the top three entrees. Surprisingly, two entrees tied for first place after first examination: “Kick-Butt Chili” and TJ mom Renee Harper’s “Homemade Pork Green Chili”. However, after a second careful examination, Senior Maureen Miller’s “Kick-Butt Chili” was announced the first place winner.
After this decision, Bahl proved to be a strong advocate of the first place entree. “My reason is that it had perfect balance,” said Bahl. “The taste didn’t shift at all; it had a nice smooth flavor. It wasn’t at all over-salted, and it had a nice color and texture throughout.”
In addition, “Renee’s Homemade Pork Green Chili” earned second place, and the chili of Nadene Wyatt, Brian Wyatt’s wife, won third place. Each winner won a cash prize, with the first place winner gaining $30, second place winning $25, and third place winning $20.
After this year’s chili cook-off, Wyatt displays high hopes for next year’s cook-off. “Next year we’re aiming for twice as many people,” said Wyatt. “We’re just getting started.”
