The 1st Annual Cage to Couch Chili Cook Off and Pie Baking Contest Rules

Ours is not an International Chili Society sanctioned cook off, just a little friendly competition!

If you’re interested in bragging rights and a prize, and you’ve got an award-winning chili or blue ribbon pie, step on up!

Our rules are our own and are as follows:

*** ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 5, 2023, 11:59pm ***

1. Chili must be made prior to the cook off and be heated to at least 170 degrees F, and kept warm at 140 degrees F for serving throughout the event. You are responsible for maintaining a food-safe temperature during the cookoff. Meat thermometers are recommended. (We read that for another cook off and it seems reasonable!)

2. As for pie: if it needs to be kept cold, we’ll have ice available, but if you have an insulated container, that would be helpful.

3. Your recipe is up to you: Beans? Sure. Rice? Okay. Quinoa? If you say so but… did you want to win?

For pie, probably no beans. Unless your pie entry is a Frito Pie, which we’re not opposed to!

4. Each chef must cook at least 3 quarts of chili.

5. Each pie maker should bake at least 3 pies of your entry recipe.

6. Please bring propane or sterno and a burner to keep your chili at food-safe temperature.  There won’t be electric available.

7. You can have a team: One chef and one sous chef. The team will receive 1 wristband each for one entry fee.

8. You’ll need to supply your own utensils. Remember the tasting cups are small so bring a small disher-upper.

9. Each attendee who comes to your table MUST have on a wristband in order to taste any chili.

Wristbands are $10 each and allow the wearer to taste any and all chili.

10. Attendees can vote for their favorite chili by purchasing Voting Tickets for $1 each. 

They vote for the favorite chili by placing that ticket in your voting jar. 

So ask your family and friends to come to the party and vote for you!

11. There will be official judges for Chili and Pie!

12. There will be four winners for Chili and four winners for Pie:

Official Judges: First place, runner up for Chili, first place and runner up for Pie

People’s Choice: First place, runner up for Chili, first place and runner up for Pie.

There will be a raffle, silent auction, Halloween-themed costume contest and photo ops, and music and games!