Chili Cook-off Rules & Regulations
Open to the public from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Public tasting starts at Noon
Cash prizes awarded for first, second, and third place overall, and for the
People’s Choice selection.
Participants get a 10′x10′ booth space and are responsible for providing their own
cooking stove and fuel, (no LP tanks larger than 20 pounds/5 gal. allowed), utensils, tables and chairs, appliances, and optional canopy. Individual ingredients may be chopped and prepped ahead and brought in separate containers. All cooking needs to be done on-site.
Access to electricity is available upon request for an additional fee. Extension cords are not provided.
All booths must follow San Bernardino County Environmental Health Department regulations. Uncooked food needs to be kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit and
cooked food at 140 degrees. This also includes having sides on your booth. Fire
Extinguishers are required in each booth with current inspection tags.
Participant check-in begins at 7 a.m. Booth set up should be completed by 8:30 a.m. and vehicles moved to the marked Vendor Parking lot on the other side of Highway 2, west of the grocery store. Contestants will be assigned numbers for judging purposes.
Contestants must prepare at least five (5) gallons of Chili for the public tasting.
Chili is judged on: Aroma, Appearance, Consistency, Taste and Aftertaste on a 1 to 5-point rating scale by the judges. Your Chili should be ready at 11:45 a.m. for pickup by event staff for judging. Containers are provided. This will be a blind judging.
Public Tasting begins at Noon. The Awards Ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. The event continues until 3 p.m. Booths may not be taken down, and vehicles cannot enter the area until the event closes.
General Information:
Contestants are not allowed to sell chili.
Two-ounce sampling cups and a small ladle will be provided to each contestant.
Please return the ladle at the end of the event to the Chamber Booth.
Fill the tasting cup half-way. This will make your chili last longer. Most years contestants have overfilled the cups and run out of food quickly.
Please direct attendees to the Chamber Booth to buy tasting kits which go on sale at 11 a.m.
Tasting kits include sampling tickets for all booths and a People's Choice
ticket. People's Choice tickets are different in color than the sampling ticket.
Please collect a ticket from each person before giving them their sample.
Guests should place their People's Choice ticket in the at the Chamber Booth.
An ingredient list needs to be displayed in consideration for those with allergies. You will not be allowed to participate without it!