All entrants must follow these rules or risk being disqualified. All judges’ decisions are final and no refunds will be given to disqualified entrees.

1. Each entrant or team must fill out an entry form and answer every question.
2. Entry fee is $25.00 and must be submitted with a completed entry form online no later than Sunday, October, 2nd 2022, in order to guarantee a t-shirt. Registration will be allowed after the cutoff date but will not be guaranteed an event t-shirt. 
3. All recipes for chili, cornbread and pie must be an original recipe. Category rules must be followed. Multiple categories allowed per entry. Absolutely no store bought entries will be accepted.
   • Chili Categories
     • Traditional Red Chilies: any kind of meat, or combination of meats, cooked with red chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients. Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed. Preference is not given to either cut meat, ground meat, shredded meat or cubed meat.
     • Homestyle Chili: is any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices and other ingredients. Homestyle chili may be any color. Beans are required. Preference is not given to either cut, ground, shredded or cubed meat. Seafood is allowed.
4. All contestants must provide their own heating apparatus, such as a hot plate, crockpot or canned fuel (e.g., Sterno).  HHF will provide the staging area and extension cords.
5. All chili entrants are required to provide at least two gallons (8 quarts) of chili.
6. All ingredients must be pre-cooked and prepared prior to the event.  The chili is to be brought “ready-to-eat.”
7. All entries for cornbread or pie must be brought to the event ready to serve. Cornbread and pie entrants must provide at least 25 samples.
8. Setup between: 11:30 – 11:55 a.m.
9. All entrants are responsible for submitting a container of chili to be judged. Each entrant must deliver the container, provided by HHF, to the judges’ stand no later than 12:00 p.m. Only the container provided will be accepted and late entries will be disqualified. The head judge’s watch will be the official watch.
10. Garnishes and toppings are not permitted in samples submitted to judges. This includes cheese, creams, herbs, crackers, chips, juices, etc.
11. All entrants must provide taste-size samples free of charge to attendees. Samples must be distributed until 3:30 p.m. or until their chili is gone, whichever comes first.
12. Eating utensils such as: bowls, spoons and napkins will be provided by HHF
13. HHF will provide common condiments such as: oyster crackers, shredded cheese, diced onions and sour cream.
14. Entrants are encouraged to decorate their area/and or dress in costume. The most-creative entrant will receive an award.
15. The Awards Ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. Each team must be present to accept awards.
16. Chili entries will be judged based on the following:
    • Aroma
    • Color
    • Consistency
    • Flavor
    • Heat (not too hot, not too mild)
17. Cornbread will be judged on consistency, flavor and moisture. Pie will be judged on flavor and consistency.
18. Awards will be presented for each chili category as follows:
    1. 1st place – $150
    2. 2nd place – $100
    3. 3rd place – $75
    4. 4Th Place – $50
    5. For Cornbread and Pie, a $50 first place prize will be awarded only in each category.
19. All Entrants are responsible for completely cleaning their area prior to the awards ceremony.
20. The competition is open to men and women of any age (entering as individuals or teams), restaurants, companies or organizations of any kind.  Professional chefs and restaurants as well as amateurs are allowed and encouraged to compete.   HHF reserves the right to refuse participation in the competition to any individual and/or team at the discretion of the event committee.  All teams or individuals must provide a valid email address when registering for the competition.

Questions – Contact Evan Overbay at 765-237-2112