The Minden St. Jude Chili Cook-off was held on Saturday, supporting the efforts of the Minden St. Jude Auction in raising money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. This year the Minden St. Jude Chili Cook-off raised $9,422.
The winning contestants were selected in three categories: Official Judging, People’s Choice, and Best in Show. Each pot of chili was judged on a scale of 1-10 based on the entry’s aroma, red coloring, consistency, aftertaste-spice, and overall taste.
For the Official Judging, 1st place went to the cooks of What’s Millie Making, Amelia Rogers and Nancy Rogers. The 2nd place award went to the Webster Farm Bureau’s cooks, Reed McClendon, Stephen Lewis, Heith Demoss, and Clay Johnson. The 3rd place award went to Dawson Day, Seth Mangrum, Jackson Waller, and Easton Sanders of the Young Chili Dawgs. The 4th place award went to the Save Money, Live Better, Eat Chili’s cooks on the Walmart Academy Team. And 5th place went to Matthew and Jamie Coldwell of Fat Bottom Chili.
The People’s Choice awards were voted on by members of the public who purchased tasting cups and voted. Jay Fussell, Davidson O’Donnell, and Bo Branch of the Minden Foundation team won 1st place, Amelia Rogers and Nancy Rogers of What’s Millie Making won 2nd place, and the Walmart Academy Team of Save Money, Live Better, Eat Chili won 3rd place.
The final category, Best in Show, was also voted on by members of the public. Wookie Chow’s cooks, Scott Spillers and Josh Spillers, took 1st place. Crave the Wave’s cooks, Brandy Moore, Fontella White, and Rebecca Myles, took 2nd place. And 3rd place went to Freedom Chili’s cooks, Christine Sloan and Sue Williams.
