Moonshine Adds A Dash Of Spice To Wicker Park With Chili Cookoff

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 29, 2012 7:40PM

With this turn in the weather crock pots and soup pans across the city are getting a workout as people across Chicago make their first batches of chili to warm the bones. (We've made two batches of veggie chili, a feat in and of itself.)

It's also the time for chili cookoffs. We'll be judging The Arts of Life Chili Cookoff Nov. 3 and, on Nov. 11., Wicker Park's Moonshine will host its fourth annual chili cookoff.

From 1-6 p.m. some of Chicago's best cooks—pros and amateurs—will turn the parking lot of the Division Street brewpub into chili central as they compete for the Golden Ladle, cash prizes and placement of their recipe on Moonshine's menu.

First prize wins $500 cash, the Gilded Ladle trophy and Moonshine menu placement for one month, second prize gets $250 cash, and third prize gets $100 cash. Contestants include The Fifty/50 and Banh Mi & Co, among others. All this leads up to the Bears-Texans game in prime time.

Admission to the Chili cookoff is$5 with warm coat donation, $10 with no coat, $5 for roundtrip shuttle to/from Soldier Field. At door: $10 with warm coat donation, $15 with no coat, $10 for roundtrip shuttle to/from Soldier Field. Tickets are available at ticketweb.com

Moonshine is located at 1824 W. Division St.