Park district team take top prize at La Grange Park Chili Cook Off

The La Grange Park Chamber Of Commerce’s fourth annual Chili Cook Off last Thursday drew about 175 hungry, chili-loving visitors to Memorial Park.

The event featured 10 local chefs competing for the top three awards for the best chili, with 10 local dignitaries serving as judges. There also was a People’s Choice Award chosen by the entire crowd and a special award for the Best Decorated Table.

“This is very exciting and we put a lot of work into it,” said Tiffany Larocque, recreation coordinator for the Community Park District of La Grange Park and one of the makers of the first place-winning chili entry. “It was a team effort.”

The team behind the Park District’s winning chili also included Spencer Clark, the district’s fitness manager.

Scott Parkins, sponsored by Ace Hardware, took second place with his “Over The Top” chili.

Parkins said the store owner “sponsors me in all the competitions and I run all of his BBQs. when there’s a BBQ like Fourth of July or Labor Day, I go cook at the store.”

His secret to good food is simple.

“I pay attention to it,” he said. “Consistency.”

Chef Andrea Slivka, of Happier Now Cafe in La Grange Park, placed third and also took home the coveted People’s Choice Award after drawing the loudest applause of the evening.

“I feel great,” Slivka said. “I just got a participation last year. Last year I did a ground beef chili that was topped with chimichurri and smoked cheddar. This one was completely different. It was ground beef, three types of beans, smoked chuck roast, topped it with cajun crackers and triple cheddar mix.”

She said she’ll be serving this year’s version at her cafe, 1031 E. 31st St.

Catnap from the Heart’s Lucy Odelson brought a vegetarian chili and won the Best Decorated Table award.

“I feel it was a great chili cook off,” she said. “It’s my third one and I’m really proud of everyone that helped.”

First-time Chili Cook Off participant Carla Thomas’s entry went over so well, she ran out of chili to hand out.

“I didn’t really know how many people to expect,” she said. “So at the beginning, we were ladling it out, saying ‘enjoy, enjoy.’ But it was super fun. Mine was a little more hearty, with a little kick at the end. I’ll absolutely come back next year.”

Chamber of Commerce President Sheri Sauer, soon to retire, was presiding over her last Chili Cook-Off, and before the final awards were announced, would not commit to any favorite.

“I cannot say because I didn’t taste them all,” she said. “I didn’t have a chance. … This is a great community event, we support local businesses that go through all this hard work to make these chilis.”

Contacted later, Jessica Cannaday, Park District executive director, was pleased with her team’s success.

“Spencer and Tiffany were so excited for the opportunity and they actually worked very hard to focus on a healthy chili,” she said. “They helped promote the Fitness Center, they brought in samples all week for us to try and ask us for our feedback. It was a really cool team building process.”

Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.