The weather wasn’t too bad outside Saturday as a few hundred people gathered in Frankfort’s Breidert Green. But temperatures peaking in the high 30s reflected the day’s main attraction.
“Thank you to all who came out,” said Peggy Alexa, event chair for the 23rd annual Chili Cook-off. “We know it’s chilly out there.”
The Chili Cook-off was the latest installment of Frankfort’s Winter on the Green series of wintertime weekend events. Organizers said it typically draws 300 to 400 people, and Saturday’s event seemed to fit that description.
Vilda Canopulli, of Addison, said she didn’t mind coming to the outdoor winter event with her boyfriend, of Mokena, because the chili really warmed her up.
“You would think the cold would ruin it, but it’s nice with the chili,” she said.
Darius Allen works at the Baird & Warner real estate office in Frankfort and was scoping out possible competition for next year.
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Allen said he plans to represent his company at the event with a batch of his own chili.
This year, 16 chefs — four professionals and 12 amateurs — distributed free samples of their chili.
Many of the chefs, including Christie Krsek, of New Lenox, were competing in the 24th annual event for the first time.
Krsek’s traditional chili included ground beef, beans and special blend of spices.
“It’s a family recipe from my mother-in-law,” Krsek said. “My husband and I just tweaked it over the years.”
She said she attends a lot of events in Frankfort and thought it would be fun to participate in a winter gathering this year.
Each chef offered their own unique concoction and visitors were treated to an array of flavors in those small cups of chili.
Amateur chef Patrick Mackenzie, of New Lenox, revealed the secret ingredient in his chili entry, Guinness Stout.
He wasn’t alone in adding adult beverages to his batch.
Professional chef Javier Reyes, of Joliet Junior College, added tequila to his chili, along with beef short ribs and his own homemade chili paste.
He said his chili took about 14 hours to make and he decided to participate in the cook-off for the first time this year because “it sounded like fun.”
Many of the chefs ran out of chili near the end of the two-hour event.
Amateur chef Bert Johnson was glad he made five gallons of chili as he, too, almost ran out.
Johnson is the director of the Lincoln-Way East High School marching band and is chair of the music department there and he said he wanted to participate in this year’s cook-off because he wanted to become more involved with the community.
His was probably the spiciest of all the contestants because he use habanero peppers, along with smoked sausage, apple cider, mushrooms and corn.
“Everyone seems to like it,” Johnson said. “They keep coming back.”
Among those who kept coming back were Dan Dion’s family from Mokena.
His son performs in Johnson’s marching band, so he wanted to support him, but he also wanted to get the family out to combat the winter blues.
“And we definitely like chili,” Dion said.
Mackenzie’s chili — the one with Guinness — took first place in the amateur portion of the competition.
Johnson’s habanero-infused batch won the Crowd Pleaser prize after he received the most votes from visitors.
An entry from Dancing Marlin restaurant in Frankfort won the professional portion of the competition.
The chili cook-off was part of the village’s Winter on the Green series, which features a different event every Saturday on Breidart Green in downtown Frankfort.
Events this year have included an ice fest, a winter carnival and winter sports with sled rides and hockey games.
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“The Winter on the Green series continues to be favorite event in Frankfort,” said Mayor Jim Holland in a statement.
The next Winter on the Green offering will celebrate Valentine’s Day on Feb. 10 with chocolate fondue and peach cobbler.
Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.