Chili Cook-Off offers demonstrations of creativity
By John Fladd
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For the past nine years the Amherst Lions Club has raised money for its community-based projects with a Fire and Ice Chili Cook-Off. Joan Ferguson is one of its coordinators.
“This is our ninth annual chili event,” she said, “and the idea has been to provide a community event in the middle of winter when everybody is asking when spring will come. There’s the chili, which is the fire, and the ice is making your own ice cream sundae.”
Ferguson said the cook-off has become something of an Amherst institution.
“We think we have it down in terms of planning, at this point,” she said, “but, you know, there’s always something we can do better. For example, during Covid we did something radically different. We videotaped competitors going before judges and making their presentation. And then we filled the recipes online. And that year we were able to get really prestigious judges because the restaurants weren’t open.”
The 2025 Fire & Ice event will take place Friday, Feb. 7, in the Souhegan High School Cafeteria. Competitors submit crockpots of their chili to be judged. Judges will circulate around the room, to each table, and judge the submissions on taste, smell, heat, creativity and presentation. Attendees will pay to sample and eat the different chilis.
Amherst Chief of Police Anthony Ciamoli will be one of this year’s judges. He said he loves chili but really looks forward to judging entrants’ creativity and patience.
“Being a layman, I was really excited [last year] to see some of the work that people put into their presentation and different kinds of chili,” he said. “Some were sweet, some were hot, and some of the people truly prepared their little stations. They had turned their areas into small vignettes. One was a dinosaur scene. It was really cool. They take a lot of pride in it. That’s a reason to make sure that we take each [submission] seriously.”
Dan DeCourcey, owner of the Up in Your Grill Food Truck (493-3191, upinyourgrill.com), is another chili judge. He thinks first impressions are important.
“You’re always going to start off with how it looks,” he said, “so the presentation, right? Then you’re looking at the product itself. In a contest like this one, the presentation is important. When you walk up [to a station] there could be a little story written on the side or, you know, they have garnishes out or, you know, different things and you’re kind of getting the first impression. If there’s a really interesting story, like … I don’t know, it’s great-grandma’s secret recipe from, you know, Mississippi that is now a family guarded secret and sought after by everyone. It just adds to the fun.”
Joan Ferguson said the chili submissions themselves have been extremely creative in past years. “We’ve had venison entries,” she said. “We’ve had beef, we’ve had chicken, and of course we’ve had vegetarian. We have very hot chili recipes and we have pleasant chili recipes. One [chili] will take the top of your head off and will be one that everybody finds savory. Don’t ask me what people prefer because the pots usually go home empty.”
Chief Ciamoli agreed. “Everyone has had different bases,” he remembered. “There was one table that I remember last year that actually had a vegetarian chili. Then there was your standard ground beef and some that had brisket. So it’s really neat to be able to try all the different styles. Some have some fruit in it to soften things. There’s work that goes into it.”
Ciamoli has a double involvement in this year’s cookoff. In addition to judging, the Amherst Police Department will be submitting a chili (which he will not be allowed to judge). He said his officers feel surprisingly motivated. “I was shocked because when I brought it up with them I said, ‘I think we should do something brisket-based,’ and then all of a sudden one of our officers I never hear from is like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the phones! I want in, man!’”
Amherst Lions Club 2025 Fire and Ice Chili Cookoff
When: Friday, Feb.7, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Where: Souhegan High School Cafeteria, 412 Boston Post Road, Amherst.
Tickets: To purchase tickets, contact any Amherst Lion or purchase online. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for students ages 7-12, free for children ages 6 and under, $40 for a family of four or more.
There is no fee to enter a chili. Competitors must register by Feb. 4.
Visit the Amherst Lions Club website at e-clubhouse.org/sites/amherstnh.
