Try 5 Takes On The Chicago Hot Dog This Weekend (Not For Anti-Ketchup Purists)

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 30, 2015 2:00PM

Chicago hot dog purists, cover your eyes and hide under the bed, because you’re about to be outraged. The Gapers Block Hot Dog Cookoff is this Saturday, and if you can’t handle ketchup on your dog, this is really gonna piss you off. For the rest of us, however, it’s an opportunity to try some interesting dogs.

This is the third year for the event, which brings together amateur cooks and professional sausage-grillers to see who can create the tastiest (and sometimes most outlandish) sausage concoction. While each competitor is required to start with a Vienna Beef dog, that’s where the similarities end. According to Gapers, in past years the inspiration for dogs have included dumplings, barbeque, tacos and “minty hot dog "chewing gum." Yikes. Considering that one of the chefs this year is Dennis “Dannis Ree” Lee, owner of The Pizzle (who has made jam out of jolly ranchers, eaten dog treats and grilled up an all-penis meal), you know something insane is likely to happen.

He’s joined by chefs from Harmony Grill, Monti’s, ManBQue and Wiener and Still Champion.

It won’t be all fun and games—the winner will really have to be on top of things, because Hot Doug himself, Doug Sohn, is one of the judges, joined by David Lissner, Chef Alan Lake and our own former editor Lisa White.

The event starts Saturday at noon in the parking lot of Schubas. For $20, each attendee gets samples of all the dogs (so they can vote for the people’s choice award, naturally). There will also be a cash bar, raffle prizes, music and more. Buy tickets online or at the door.