Rockabilly Chili brings the heat

Closing in on a decade of bringing rockabilly music (provided by WMSE Radio’s Chicken Shack) and tasty chili (provided in over 70 forms by area restaurants, caterers, co-ops, and budding chefs), the Kern Center filled to the brim with thousands of tasters hoping for a good capsaicin burn.

Awards were given out for veggie and meat chilis, along with prizes for best heat and display as decided by a vox populi vote.  The results were displayed in “Top 5” fashion on a projected board throughout the day, as different contenders rose and fell in the rankings.

In the end, Palms Bistro won Best Meat (with Red Rock Saloon as runner-up), and The Riverwest Co-op retained its groundswell of support and won Best Veggie for the third year (with Brewed Café as runner-up).  Best Heat went to McBob’s Pub and Grill, who proffered a multi-chile pepper and whiskey-topped edition (with Ball ‘n Biscuit Catering bringing the infamous ghost pepper-flavored dish in runner-up position). Best Display went to the colorful Brewed Café (newcomer Red Rock Saloon was runner-up).

Photo intern Nicole Peaslee was dispatched to the front lines and caught the action; see our slideshow below or follow our flickr link here.