This Labor Day weekend, Pepperdine students and Malibu residents flocked to the 30th annual Malibu Kiwanis Chili Cook-Off, located across from the Malibu Plaza.
This event, which not only includes a cook-off of the best local chilis, but also a carnival with various rides and entertainment, is a classic Malibu tradition that features local and international performances by popular demand. This year, Pepperdine’s very own music department was one of the featured acts.
When asked if anything in particular was going to denote this year’s 30th anniversary, John Paola, president of the Malibu Kiwanis and chairman of the Chili Cook-Off, stated that this year they would be focusing on local entertainment and vendors.
Every year, approximately 15,000 people attend the Cook-Off, sampling different local fare and exotic chilis. The coveted title of “Best Chili” is determined by the judges, who follow a given set of guidelines and personal preference to select their choice. Criteria included color, consistency, aroma, taste and after taste, and a point count of each category determines the final score. A panel of nine judges sampled each of the 13 contenders this year to choose their personal favorites based on highest score.
“I normally will go back to re-taste the chilis that I think really stand out, and have to take breaks from tasting so many chilis,” judge Nancy Oliver said.
The winner of “Best Chili” receives a plaque, public recognition, and immediate bragging rights among fellow chili competitors.
The second category for the Cook-Off is the “People’s Choice” award, which is determined by counting dollar bill sales from individual chili booths.
The winner of the “Best Chili” award for Saturday’s festivities was Media For Action, whose profits go to benefit a charity foundation dedicated to making films dealing with social and cultural issues.
“My chili is called the Irish chili, because I’m an Irishman,” said Media For Action chili guru Peter McGrain.
“The secret ingredient to my chili is the combination of cayenne, molasses and smoked spices in it.”
Just down the lane, McGrain’s self-proclaimed rival and personal friend, James Soubasis of Jersey Jimmy’s Killer Chili, cooked-up his East Coast Chili, consisting of meat, meat and more meat.
“The vital ingredients of my chili are ground beef, steak and two types of sausages,” professed the New Jersey native. Soubasis has been coming to the Malibu Chili Cook-Off for 10 years, flying all the way from New Jersey specifically for this event.
The winner of “Best Chili” for Sunday’s event was Cherrystone’s Chili. This was Cherrystone’s first year participating in the Cook-Off.
“Last year we were food vendors up by the carnival rides,” Cherrystone’s Dennis Igarashi said. “But this year we decided to participate in the Cook-Off itself.”
This traditional Malibu event attracts not only the locals, but celebrities as well. In attendance this year was Tori Spelling, of “Beverly Hills 90210” fame.
“I decided to bring my kids to the fair this year because they really enjoy the games and food of the carnival part especially,” Spelling said.
Spelling herself sampled about five of the competing chilis. Five chilis seemed to be the crowd average on tastings this weekend.
One of the big events of the weekend was the raffle for the grand prize of a 2011 Mercedes Benz C300, with a slim one in 999 chance of winning. Local Malibu resident and actor Dick Van Dyke returned this year to announce the winning raffle ticket Sunday evening.
“I’ve been doing this every year for about 25 years now, and I just love to be a part of it and get to sing with the kids,” Van Dyke said. “It really gets better every year.”
All profits from the Cook-Off, including those from a silent auction featuring pieces of sports memorabilia and celebrity autographed items, go to benefit the Kiwanis Club of Malibu and other local clubs and organizations.
