6th Annual FishHawk Chili Cookoff to Spice Up Park Square

Nothing brings together community like food and fun. Luckily for residents who live in and around FishHawk Ranch, both are on the way.

The 6th Annual FishHawk Chili Cook Off will take place on Jan. 28 in Park Square and promises to have a chili or two suitable for every taste. The occasion is traditionally festive, attracting a crowd of around 1,000 people to sample the chili and listen to a DJ.

"We'll have 30 chefs participating again this year," Chili Cook Off organizer Jennifer Carle said. "We have judges who reward three different chilis and then we do the People's Choice awards. It's really a lot of fun because it brings everyone together, and we have music going so it's a lively atmosphere."

The variety of chili is nearly endless. Variations fit every diet and taste, while some even challenge the consumer's idea of what chili should look like.

"They come in different colors, whether it's red, brown, white," Carle said. "There is a chili at the cookoff for everybody. Some have chicken instead of beef, some are vegetarian, some have no beans. Some are spicy and some sweet. The mild ones tend to win, but every year we have at least one spicy one in the top three."

For Carle, organizing the event takes a fair amount of time, as getting the chefs together and getting the word out extends beyond FishHawk.

"We do a lot of advertising, and we reach out to the builders in our community," Carle said. "They like the event because it's good exposure for them and many of them love to cook. We have a lot of FishHawk residents, but the event is not exclusively for people in this community, so we have to get the word out and get it all together."

The deadline for chefs to register is Jan. 21. The cost is $15 to enter as a chef and $5 to attend as a taster. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 28.

For more information, call Jennifer Carle at 813-657-6629.