For the third year in a row, Austin Chili Limits took first place at the Maplewood Chili Cook Off.
Jennifer Grady and Jim McDuffee are South Orange neighbors who get together each year to create chili culinary magic.
Grady calls herself “Spice Girl” as it is her expertise in spices combined with McDuffee’s smoked brisket that made the chili a winner. Their prize-winning dish was called “Chilin’ All Your Lovin’”
The Maplewood Chili Cookoff is an annual event to benefit the MEND hunger relief network of Essex County. The event’s founder is Maplewood resident Tom Mason.
This year they raised more than $20,000. Mayor Nancy Adams and Committeeperson Vic Deluca presented awards to the winners.
Leigh Friend, co-founder of Maplewood Wheelhouse, was the expert chef taster. She tried every chili and presented the Chef Choice Awards. “Thank you so much for this honor,” she said. “There’s some amazing chefs in here.”
“Wonderful White Bean Chili,” which was created by two sisters, Mila and Norah Rodgers, in the kid’s category won for Chef Choice, Most Creative. Mason said the award never went to a child before. They also won first place in the children’s competition.
Jermain Hatcher won for the Vegetable Chili category. His dish was called “Come Catch a Vibe Part 3.”
Jeff Wolfe of Maplewood, who came in fourth place in the meat category for his dish “The Eagles Smoked the Chiefs,” had a Wagyu ground beef, a brisket he smoked in his backyard. “Its fancy in restaurants,” he said. “All natural. I don’t rely on powder.”
Herb Grice of Maplewood came in second place in the meat category for his dish “Herb & Mark’s Smoked Brisket Chili.” He said he uses spices like cumin and cinnamon.
Matt Trokenheim of South Orange came in third place in the vegetarian category for his dish “Yamalamading-dong.” He said his dish was made with sweet potatoes, chipotle, carrots, cocoa powder—and love.
Chris Michon and Michelle Kelly created a dish called “Radioactive” which was a mango habanero chili made with mango, jalapeno, and mushroom.
Throughout the day, country band Reckon So performed. They did tunes from Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Linda Ronstadt and Chuck Berry among others.
The following are the winners:
Meat category:
First Place: Austin Chili Limits, (James McDuffee and Jen Grady)
Second: Herb & Marc’s Smoked Brisket, (Herb Grice and Marc Dennison)
Third: Maneater, (Gene Mollica and Dael Oates)
Fourth: The Eagles Smoked the Chiefs, (Jeff Wolfe)
Fifth: Chile de Cordero (Brendan Cunningham)
Veggie category:
First Place: Come Catch A Vibe Part 3, Chili F (Jermain Hatcher)
Second: Silence of the Yams, Chili B (Michael Schwartz and Rob Liano)
Third: Yamalamading-dong, Chili E (Matthew Trokenheim)
Kids Category winner:
First Place: Wonderful White Bean (Mila and Norah Rodgers)
Second: McCrackaTarry (Ali McCracken and Lucas Tarry)
Chef’s choice award:
Chef’s favorite: Jarron Smith, Sweet, Spicy, Smoky
Most Creative: Wonderful White Bean (Mila and Norah Rodgers)
Veteran chili cooks win again added by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta on
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