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380AEW Article

First overseas cook off sanctioned by chili society held at 380th AEW

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Amanda Savannah
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Though they can't see the turning of leaves - or even many trees for that matter - Airmen deployed to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing can still appreciate fall's cooler temperatures, earlier sunsets - and a good bowl of chili.

A Kingpin Chili Cook Off gathered a group of chili chefs to compete in the first International Chili Society-sanctioned event overseas Oct. 30.

Master Sgt. Eric Forsander and Staff Sgt. Nathan Shideler won the event and qualified to compete in the ICS World's Championship Homestyle Chili Cook off in 2013.

The event began as a request from the ICS through the Kingpin's family support center stateside, said Tech. Sgt. Kevin Townley, cook off coordinator.

The cook off was scheduled and the ICS, as well as previous ICS World's Championship participants, provided special ingredients, recipes, coaching and words of encouragement.

"We are long-time chili cooks and have qualified many times for the World's Championship, plus have finished second in (the championship) three times," read a letter from Bonnie and Steve Tomasek from Sedalia, Colo. "We have tried to put together a recipe and spices that should make a good pot of red.

"We are so proud of you guys/gals and admire your fortitude. Hang in there."

As an ICS sanctioned event, participants and judges were given rules and regulations to follow to make the event happen. One rule was the cooks had a minimum of three and a maximum of four hours to cook the chili.

"We got started early, we went (and) picked up the ingredients that we needed to get going," said Forsander. "Then we started cooking around 2, 2:30 in the afternoon, getting the grill going, getting the meat going ... while at the same time cutting things up and preparing all the spices and secret ingredients that went into the mix.

"(We) cooked it, got all the ingredients in ... and let it kind of stew for about two to three hours. It was a long day."

Rules for the judging included the requirement of five judges at a minimum. Master Sgt. Laurie Cherry was one judge for the competition.

"I've never judged a cook off; this was my first one," Cherry said. "I love chili. Not maybe when the temperature is so warm, but yes, I love chili."

In the end, Forsander and Shideler were named the winners.

"I think it was a couple things," Forsander said of his winning recipe. "We kept it simple. We didn't branch out and try to get too crazy with throwing too (many) spices in or too many different vegetables. We kind of kept it to the basics, and we had this really good chili powder mix/blend that we threw in there that ... gave it a good mix of hot as well as flavor."

"It was pretty close; they were all really delicious," Cherry said. "I think (the winning team) will do very well at the national competition."

Forsander thanked Townley for leading the coordination of the event, and the ICS and its chefs for their support.

Townley thanked Senior Master Sgt. John Ramadei, whom he said is responsible for making the cook off happen.

"He found some metal containers on base that he custom made into small grills that we cooked on, and his enthusiasm for cooking was inspirational," Townley said.

"It took a lot of coordination to make it all come together, but in the end it was a fun and a morale-building event," he said.

"It (was) a good opportunity for us all to maybe learn a little something," Forsander said. "(There's) nothing better than making some good man chili for watching football on Sunday."