View source for Cook-off

{{Short description|Cooking competition}}
{{redirect|Bakeoff|the TV show|The Great British Bake Off|the weapons term|Cooking off}}
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A '''cook-off''' is a [[cooking]] [[competition]] where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging either by a select group of judges or by the general public. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors (such as restaurants) with very similar dishes, such as [[chili con carne|chili]], and serves as a way to decide which recipe is the best for that particular dish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/entertaining/host-a-chili-cook-off|title=Host a Chili Cook-Off|website=BettyCrocker.com}}</ref>
== Chili cook-off ==
[[File:2008 Clarksville Chili Cook-Off.jpg|thumb|[[Clarksville, New Hampshire]] chili cook-off in 2008]]
[[File:Engineering students at chili cook-off, University of Texas at Arlington Engineering building (10002873).jpg|thumb|Engineering students at chili cook-off, [[University of Texas at Arlington]], 1983]]
A '''chili cook-off''' is a social event, similar to a [[barbecue]], in which competitors prepare their own particular recipe for [[chili con carne]] and submit it for taste testing. A cook-off may be an informal gathering with the simple goal of sharing recipes and enjoying food, or it may be a large-scale event with an official panel of judges and substantial prizes for winners.
The Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctions over 550 cook-offs annually that raise over $1,000,000 for charity. Corporate CASI, which sanctions cook-offs, tabulates cookoff results, and puts on the annual Terlingua International Chili Championship, has an annual income of approximately $250,000. Out of this annual income around $60,000 goes to charity. The CASI is a [[501(c)(3)]] corporation.
The International Chili Society (ICS) organizes chili cook-offs as [[fundraiser]]s. Its annual cook-offs are on a grand scale, with regional qualifying events that attract tens of thousands of participants and a "World Championship" cook-off held in October. The ICS has raised millions of dollars for charity<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chilicookoff.com/History/History_Home.asp |title=International Chili Society |access-date=2008-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820072811/http://chilicookoff.com/History/History_Home.asp |archive-date=2008-08-20 }}</ref> while still awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars to winners.
As early as 1970, many communities have hosted non-ICS cook-offs, leading to a competing "World Championship" cook-off in [[Terlingua, Texas|Terlingua]], [[Texas]].
The UK Chilli Cook-off Association organises chilli cook-offs as throughout the UK as fundraisers, culminating in the UK grand final at the Upton Cheyney Chili Festival near Bath, UK – Winners qualify for the [[World Food Championships]] Chili Cookoff
Many chili cook-offs were either canceled or moved to virtual events because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], from 2020 to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bellevillechamber.org/2020/09/28/remote-belleville-chili-cook-off-announced-for-october-9-11/|title=Belleville Chamber of Commerce|website=The Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegreenlaker.com/2020/06/05/chili-cook-off-canned-by-covid-19-freeland-explores-taking-festival-virtual/|title=Chili cook-off canned by COVID-19; Freeland explores taking festival virtual – The Green Laker}}</ref>
=== Notable chili cook-offs ===
* ''[[Chilympiad]]'' in [[San Marcos, Texas]] (1970–2002)
* [[Lone Star Chili Cook-off]] in [[New York City]]
* [[2024 Chili Cookoff Team Generations - Undefeated Champs]] in [[Troy]]{{clarify|date=May 2024|reason=possibly Troy, New York, though one source suggests Ithaca, NY}}
== Ribfest ==
{{Main|Ribfest}}
A ribfest is a cook-off typically for [[pork ribs]].
=== Notable ribfests ===
* [[Canada's Largest Ribfest]] – [[Burlington, Ontario]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canadaslargestribfest.com/|title=Canada's Largest Ribfest – &#124; Great Music &#124; Great Food &#124; Great Fun|website=canadaslargestribfest.com}}</ref>
* [[Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off]] – [[Sparks, Nevada|Sparks]], [[Nevada]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nuggetribcookoff.com/|title=Nugget Rib Cook Off}}</ref>
* [[London Ribfest]] – [[London, Ontario]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canadasbiggestparty.com/|title=Family Shows Canada|website=canadasbiggestparty.com}}</ref>
* [[Toronto Ribfest]] – [[Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario]], Canada<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://torontoribfest.com/2021-ribfest-drive-thru/|title=2021 Ribfest Drive-Thru}}</ref>
* Canada's largest Halal Barbeque and Fast Food Truck Festival, [[Toronto, Ontario]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=HalalRibfest |url=https://www.halalribfest.com/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=www.halalribfest.com}}</ref>
== See also ==
* ''[[The Great British Bake Off]]'', a British television cooking competition series
*[[First Lady Bake-Off]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.chili.org/ Chili Appreciation Society International], a national/international cook-off organizer and promoter of chili for charity
* [http://www.ncchili.com/ Piedmont Pepper Pod], the North Carolina subgroup of CASI
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040713002909/http://www.chilicookoff.com/ International Chili Society], a major cook-off organizer
* [https://munichchilicookoff.de/ Munich, Germany's long-running chili cook-off]
* [http://www.lonestarchilicookoff.org/ Lone Star Chili Cook-off] Texas style Chili Cook-off in New York City
* [http://greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com/Great American Seafood Cook-off]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090808134355/http://www.nola.com/festivals/index.ssf/2009/07/great_american_seafood_cookoff.html/ NOLA.com]
* [http://www.thefoodexperiments.com/ The Food Experiments], a NYC-based cookoff series
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101126104648/http://mackinacisland.org/events.html Mackinac Island Chili Cook-off], held each February on this remote Island in the Upper Midwest
* [http://www.ukchillicookoff.co.uk/ The UK Chilli Cook-off Association]
[[Category:Food and drink festivals]]
[[Category:Cooking competitions]]