About 150 people came out Sept. 19 to support a chili cook-off in Memorial Park, sponsored for the third year by the La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce to raise funds.
The cook-off, which had been an annual event in the early years of the century, resumed in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic had pretty much shut down most events.
A 12-person panel of judges, including Village Trustees Mike Sheehan and Karen Koncel, voted on the best chilis, with the top three winners receiving a trophy and cash prizes.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Scott Parkins, the first place winner representing Ace Hardware and Central Federal Savings and Loan. “I usually don’t win chili contests. I’m like one for 30 now.”
Parkins said he participated in many other chili contests with his team, Stone Cold Grillers, describing his chili as an “over-the-top” style creation where the meat was smoked over a jar of chili-based seasoning, with tomatoes and chili paste.
“The meat is smoked into the chili for three hours, so it’s sitting over the top of the pot,” he said. “If you like smoked chili, that’s a great way to get a smoke flavor in it.”
There were 12 different cooks who paid the $5 entry fee. The public also paid $5 for admission, after which they were invited to taste the various chilis. Beer was sold by Hop District Brewers, 23 E. 31st Street, who also had a chili entered in the event.
The second place winner represented the La Grange Area Historical Society, featuring a recipe by President Katherine Padgett, her brand-new Alien Roswell Chili.
“Oh my gosh, this feels wonderful,” Padgett said. “Everybody can’t be first place, but I’m so thrilled to be second. There are so many great chilis here, but we were unique. We were the only green chili with 12 hours of smoked meat.”
Padgett praised the Chamber for staging the chili cook-off.
“This is a great way for the community to get together,” she said. “It shows an outpouring of support for people who support the La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce and the local businesses.
Third place went to the La Grange Park Library’s chili, a creation of Marketing Director Janet Tencza. A special People’s Choice Award was given to The Hop District.
Other chili chefs entered their own special concoctions.
Jeanne Cortez, manager of Swanson’s Deli, 74 S. La Grange Road, served guests the house chili from Swanson’s.
“We opened last year in May,” she said, noting the still-open original Swanson’s at 103rd and Western dates back to 1965.
Cortez said Swanson’s participation in the cook-off was an unplanned decision.
“I just happened to see it on Facebook yesterday, and asked if we could do it,” she said Thursday. “So it was a literal last-minute decision.”
Cortez credited Swanson’s owner, Greg Dix, with the chili’s flavor.
“This is our beef and steak chili,” she said.
Lucy Odelson, representing CatNap from the Heart, a cat shelter and low-cost veterinary clinic at 1101 Beach Ave., was in her second year at the cook-off, bringing her special vegetarian chili, even though she’s not personally meat-free.
“Vegetarian chilis are pretty rare, so I’m really hoping the uniqueness, the really acidic flavor of the lime, it will just kind of brings a freshness that is perfect for the end of summer,” Odelson said, “and with this heat wave we’re having, I hope that uniqueness, combined with the type of story I’m trying to tell, will help bring in people.”
Before announcing the winners, Chamber President Sheri Sauer thanked the Community Park District and all the judges and volunteers who made the event possible.
“It takes a lot and it keeps growing every year,” she said.
For more information about the La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce, visit its web site lagrangeparkchamber.org.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
