Budding chefs invited to take part in third annual 'Chilli Cook-off'

14th April 2009

Budding chefs invited to take part in third annual ‘Chili Cook-off’ 

If your Chili Con Carne is ‘red hot’ why not enter it in the third annual ‘Chili cook-off’ hosted by Chilli Lime Deli, on Fleming Square?

Places are still available in the chili challenge which will raise money for the Blackburn-based homeless young person’s charity, Nightsafe.

This year's competition is split into three monthly heats, taking place on Saturday, May 16, Saturday, June 13, and Saturday, July 18, between 10-2pm with a grand final at the same time on Saturday, August 15.

Four chefs will take part in each heat and will put together their dishes in an outdoor kitchen under a canopy on Fleming Square.

Members of the public will be invited to sample each chili, for a donation to charity, and vote for their favourite.

The winner and overall best runner-up will go on to the grand final for the chance to be crowned ‘Chili Champion’ and take home a trophy. 

A range of other events are also planned to run alongside the heats making this the competition’s biggest year yet.

These include a ‘Middle-Eastern Day’ with belly dancers and Middle Eastern cooking at June’s heat and a bike show with classic British bikes and American Harleys on show at July’s.

At the final in August a Caribbean chef will also be on hand with a steel band providing musical entertainment.

At each heat and at the final there will also be a BBQ as well as stalls selling chilli plants, hot sauces and other related products.

Organiser John Caffrey, who owns the Chilli Lime Deli, said: “We’ve tried to make this year’s event the biggest yet and it promises to be a fantastic occasion. We’ve had a lot of interest from competitors already but there’s still room for more.

“The idea actually started as a friendly argument between two guys in the shop over who could cook the best chilli. I thought, ‘why not put your money where your mouth is and have a cook-off!’ I got a few other people involved and we had the first competition in 2005. From there it’s just expanded.

“It’s great to get people into Fleming Square but we’re mainly concerned with raising money for a fantastic local charity.”

For more information or to take part contact John Caffrey on 01254 52229