Put Your Chili Recipe To The Test With Half Acre Charitable Chili Cookoff

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 20, 2014 9:10PM

Photo credit: Avi Schwab

Chicagoist has been involved with the Half Acre Charitable Chili Cookoff for years and we’re proud to once again lend a hand to this year’s event, 5-8 p.m. Nov. 1 at The Arts of Life’s Chicago studio, 2010 W Carroll Ave.

This is the sixth year for the cookoff and proceeds from the event benefit The Arts of Life’s mission of helping people with developmental disabilities through artistic expression. I’ll be one of the judges for the event, along with WBEZ’s Monica Eng and Sarah Becan of Sauceome.com.

I’ve judged this cookoff for several years and have been impressed by the array of meat and vegetarian/vegan options from professional and novice cooks alike. This year’s cookoff has a Day of the Dead theme and The Arts of Life has some entertainment lined up with The Arts of Life Band and DJs from CHIRPRadio.

Advance tickets ($15) are now on sale online; the price rises to $20 at the door. If you want to throw your hat in the ring and see if you have the best chili recipe in Chicago, consider entering the contest. There’s a $25 entry fee for that.

Half Acre Beer Company is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include Black Dog Gelato, Big Audio and The West Town Chamber of Commerce.