Chili cook-off fights hunger with friendly competition

Julianne Kerver
Thu, 27 Feb 2020 03:05:42 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, food & drink, News, charity, chili, chili cook-off, Food Pantry, nonprofit, ohio state, ohio state university, osu, Overall Judges Winner, People's Choice Winner, Saucisson, soup kitchen, Souper Heroes, The Caravan, The Holy Family Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, The Spiffy Cookie, Tricia Keels

Souper Heroes will host its fifth annual Chili Cook-off March 1 at Seventh Son Brewing Company. Credit: Courtesy of Souper Heroes

A local nonprofit organization is fighting food insecurity and hunger with an old-fashioned chili cook-off.?

Souper Heroes will host its fifth annual Chili Cook-off Sunday at Seventh Son Brewing Company. Proceeds will go toward The Holy Family Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, a Catholic food pantry serving West Columbus, Ohio.?

Souper Heroes is a Columbus nonprofit that raises funds and awareness for food insecurity in the city, according to its website.

“Our mission at Souper Heroes is to have fun with food and community while providing for those who don’t have enough of either,” Tricia Keels, founder of Souper Heroes, said.

Sunday’s cook-off awards will include the People’s Choice Winner and the Overall Judges Winner, judged by Melissa Khoury of Cleveland butcher shop Saucisson; John Croke, the artistic director of local education company The Caravan; and Erin Vasicek, the food blogger behind The Spiffy Cookie, according to the event page.?

Each attendee casts their vote for the People’s Choice Winner with a ticket received upon entry. After sampling each chili, attendees can place a ticket in the ballot box of their favorite. Attendees can vote more than once by purchasing additional tickets, according to the website.??

Money is raised through the “donation slow cooker,” which is set out for attendees to fill with cash or check contributions. Keels said the cooker is unattended, so guests have no obligation to donate.

“All our events are free. Anyone can come join us, but we do make it available and encourage people to show their gratitude and appreciation for what they have by throwing some cash in there that we can forward to whoever we’re supporting,” Keels said.

Ann Miller-Tobin, host of the cook-off and volunteer for Souper Heroes, said she hopes the event will bring attendees together and give them an increased awareness of food insecurity in Columbus.

“I want them to have a good time, fill their bellies, make new friends, bring their families and just have a really great sense of the community from all different ages coming together to put good out into the world, to help make somebody else have a better day,” Miller-Tobin said.

Miller-Tobin was crowned the winner of the cook-off in its second year, but said she is forgoing her slow cooker this year to instead serve as host.?

The Souper Heroes’ fifth annual Chili Cook-off will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Seventh Son Brewing Company.