Community Revite Chili Cook-off celebrates 23rd year

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

To the victor go the spoils. Or in the case of the Charles City Great Chili Cook-off, the coveted golden ladle.

The 23rd Annual Great Chili Cook-Off once again delighted and surprised palates in Charles City with chili concoctions Friday at the Columbus Club.

Previous years’ recipes have run the gamut of ingredients. Contestants have added hot dogs, chicken, steak, bacon, bourbon and even ketchup.

“One year I’m pretty sure he just bought a bunch of big cans of Hormel chili and put it in,” said Mark Wicks, community development director, about a previous competitor. “That’s the fun of this — it’s so different.”

This year’s winner of the golden ladle was Brian Schmidtke of Schmidtke Auto Body.

What set Schmidtke’s chili apart from the rest?

“I think the jalapeno juice gives it that little kick,” he said.

Schmidtke said his recipe consisted of hamburger, the aforementioned jalapeno juice, homemade tomato juice, onions, black beans and chili beans.

“A lot of these guys will tell you their recipe is in their head,” said Wicks.

Entrants made five gallons of chili in advance and had to have it into the Pub on the Cedar’s coolers by 8 p.m. Thursday night.

“Five gallons of chili is a lot of chili to make,” said Wicks.

Schmidtke said his favorite chili leans more toward hot than mild.  

“I like it when it gets a little warm after you eat it, but doesn’t take away from the taste,” said Schmidtke. “Not hot, hot — just get a little pizazz to it.”

There were seven contestants in this year’s cook-off. The people who attended the blind-tasting event were given seven small cup, each with a different sample of the chilis.

“The tasting cups are pretty small, but you get seven of them on your plate, that’s a big bowl of chili,” said Wicks. “There’s not a whole lot of people that go back for seconds.”

The cook-off is organized by Community Revitalization and was one of the first events put on by the non-profit, volunteer-driven organization more than two decades ago.

“As long as the community supports and wants it, we’ll do it,” said Wicks.

The Charles City High School’s Comet Cafe helped serve desserts and drinks. Several volunteers from Cambrex helped out as well.

Loren Marlette, who is lead person for external events at Cambrex, was one of those volunteers. He said Cambrex volunteers will attend many community and social events this year in Charles City.

“Were going to try and get a team together for the Cedar River Shiver,” said Marlette. “We’re going to reach out to all our Cambrex family and see who wants to join and help out.”

Seven local “celebrity” cooks were selected for this year’s Automotive Service Industry theme. In addition to Schmidtke, who was sponsored by Cambrex, the participating chili chefs included Steve Robel from Quality Auto Service, sponsored by L&J Industries; Dave Martin, of and sponsored by Nelson Tire and Auto; Jason Daniels from Daniels Auto Collision, sponsored by Snap Fitness; Mark Eakes from Mike Molstead Motors, sponsored by Farm Bureau – Jay Jung; Mike Kubik of Northside Auto Body, sponsored by the Comet Bowl and Sweet Crete; and Glen Putney, of and sponsored by Arnold Motor Supply.

All seven chilis served were by number only, so no one knew who they were voting for. Schmidtke’s chili, which was No. 3 in the taste test, garnered nine more votes than runner-up Putney, chili No. 2, to claim the title.

Robel, chili No. 4, placed a close third. The other chili numbers, in no particular voting order, were: Eakes, chili No. 1; Daniels, 5; Martin, 6; and Kubik, chili No.7.

“Volunteers make this run. Volunteer public participants coming to it keep it running,” said Wicks.