Harvest Algoma took first place in this year’s Chili-Fest, held today at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion.
“Our head cook will be proud,” said Lauren Moran, Harvest Algoma community enterprise manager.
That head cook is Ron Black.
“He used locally raised beef, first and foremost,” Moran told SooToday.
“He used a good selection of beans as one might expect. The tomatoes are greenhouse-grown from our own greenhouses, same with the herbs like oregano and basil. He made the paprika and the onion powder from using rescued surplus produce that we were getting in.”
Black made Harvest Algoma’s chili well ahead of time.
“He made this chili on Thursday, cooled it down, froze it, and then was in the kitchen this morning reheating it,” Moran said.
“That’s the thing about chili. If anybody knows chili, you know that you want to let it sit a bit. You don’t serve it right away. That’s not the best chili. You’ve got to make it ahead of time. That’s the secret.”
Harvest Algoma sells its chili at Meals by Harvest.
“I do appreciate a good comfort meal like chili, especially on a beautiful day like today,” Moran said.
Feeding Your Soul Cafe entered its chili in this year’s Chili-Fest.
“Our chili is chunky chicken with pumpkin puree, butternut squash, tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, onions, and then we have chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, Tex-Mex, and a little bit of water,” said Deane Greenwood, Feeding Your Soul Cafe co-owner.
The chili was made by Brenten Ellis, Feeding Your Soul Cafe’s cook.
“I’m actually a vegetarian chili fan, but when I tried Brenten’s creation yesterday I thought, ‘it’s pretty good.’ After it sat overnight and re-warmed today, it has an awesome flavour. It’s really amazing,” Greenwood said.
“I’m sure it’s going to appear on our lunch features now.”
Plain and simple is the way to go for Mac Robinson, Sault Ste. Marie Soup Kitchen Community Centre head cook.
“I make a basic chili with beef and pinto beans. It’s good stuff,” Robinson said.
“It’s a cheap meal. You can get a lot out of it. Half of my product is ground beef and we’re now feeding 300 people with that. With times being tough it works out.”
As the Soup Kitchen’s head cook, Robinson said it feels good to feed others in need.
“I spent 36 years in the restaurant business cooking for people. Now I’m cooking for people that don’t have to pay to appreciate my food. That’s a big thing for me.”
The Soup Kitchen won second place at this year’s Chili-Fest, while third place went to The Soup Witch.
Feeding Your Soul Cafe won the Spirit Award for the best dressed booth.
The Soup Kitchen won the award for the hottest chili.
Gateway Casinos won the Wooden Spoon Award.
The cost to sample chili recipes at Chili-Fest was $10 per person.
All proceeds go to feeding those in need at the Soup Kitchen.
300 tickets were sold at this year’s event.