Looking for info on the 2014 Chilifest in Westport?
Think that Chowdafest is freakin’ awesome? Take that same concept of a spoon, pencil, and a judging card, and a huge appetite and now om nom on some chili! Yup, that’s right, the first annual Chilifest is coming soon to Westport. You’ll be voting on two categories: creative and traditional. The chiliarians this year? Quite an impressive list: Ash Creek Saloon, Bobby Q’s, Brewhouse, Chili Bomb, DaPietro’s, Nicholas Roberts, Old Post Tavern, The Lime, The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood, and Wilson’s BBQ.
It’s hard to say who will have the edge here. You’d think with a name like Chili Bomb, the new Fairfield eatery would have the edge, but look who else is in the mix. You’ve got a Chowdafest winner (Nicholas Roberts) and you’ve got solid BBQ joints. No doubt we’ll be on hand to taste and taste and taste and judge a bit. But, it’s really about tasting and tasting and tasting. After we’re done, though, we’ll drive with the windows down if ya know what we mean.
Oh, and mark your calendars (or subscribe to our Google cal) now. The 4th annual Chowdafest is 2/4/2011!
Saturday, 10/29/2011 from 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
$6 for adults, $5 for seniors,$2 for kids (5-17)
Address: Unitarian Universalist Church
10 Lyons Plains Road
Westport, CT
Dan and Kristien Del Ferraro
OmNomCT 
When you mention Pat’s Hubba Hubba and i think of their chili-it is the only thing they did get right, but the Amatuer chili at this years Unitairan Stamford cook off was memorable!
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Wish we could have been there, buddy! We’ve got a chili competition at school, a month from now. I’m aiming to make the best chili possible and I’m so excited. :) Going to play up the cinnamon, plop in some brown sugar, and let the awesomeness of the chili stew all day before I serve it the next day. You ever been to http://www.penzeys.com in Norwalk? I got these amazing peppers that I can’t wait to use.
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i usually use my own peppers, they tend to have more heat, but this year i bought the jalepenos that i smoked and that may have beenthe issue for my chili!
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chili is a passion not a cooking excercise! My problem with my chili was what i had the day after was not as good as the day of the contest – i do not understand that – chili gets better with age, usually, but the “kick” seemed to have died!
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The passion shows through in your cooking, no doubt. :) Also, you’re right about it getting better with age. Wonder why the spice died down?
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i see Westport gets the restaurants and Stamford, gets the “amateurs”. Have to say, i was not as pleased with my chili this year, but the competition was incredible. Never had great chili at a local restauratn!
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Well, you learn from your mistakes, you know? What was it that made your chili not your favorite? I like to use a bit of cinnamon in mine with a good kick, but not an overpowering kick. I did a chili contest at school last year and lost, too. :) You know what, though? It was so much fun to make it and bring it in the next day. I got lots of compliments and people at work still talk to me about my chili. Sometimes they even ask me advice on cooking. hehehe :) There’s rumors of another cook off this year, so my friend Mitch and I are already discussing strategy.
I used to be a chili fanatic, but there are so many great things on the menus at the restaurants by us that it’s not usually the first thing I get. I thought that the chili at Pat’s Hubba Hubba was pretty good, though the rest was pretty bad. I’ll have to look out for more chili when I go out.
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