Chili Cook-Off Raises $2500 for Historic Rugby
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Chili Cook-Off Raises $2500 for Historic Rugby
Chili Cook-Off winners (L-R): Lindsay Ferrier (2nd place), Kim Stagg (1st place), Marlee Mitchell (1st place), Andy Haden (3rd place). Not pictured: Emily Hinds (Honorable Mention)
RUGBY – A rainy weekend couldn’t keep the region’s best chili cooks away from Historic Rugby’s third annual Chili Cook-Off, which took place on Saturday, February eighth inside Rugby’s Hester Hall. 14 cooks competed for the coveted first place chef’s toque, while dozens more came to taste and judge all the delicious chili options.
An eclectic mix of steaming hot chilis were submitted this year, including traditional ground beef chili, prime rib chili, vegetarian chili, white chicken chili, and more. In the end, a gourmet chili featuring beans hand-sourced from Napa won the competition.
The Clear Fork Volunteer Fire Department also turned out in full firefighters’ gear, along with a pot of chili that was so spicy, tasters had to sign a medical waiver in order to try it! Firefighters kept extinguishers on hand, just in case anyone’s taste buds needed extinguishing afterward.
Competition winners included Emily Hinds, who earned an Honorable Mention, Andy Haden, who won third place, Lindsay Ferrier, who won second place, and Marlee Mitchell and Kim Stagg, who shared the first place prize.
“Historic Rugby’s Chili Cook-Off has quickly become a favorite winter activity for chili fans from Morgan, Scott, and Fentress counties, as well as Nashville and Knoxville,” said co-organizer Frannie Hamrick. “As always, we are so grateful for our participants, sponsors, and volunteers who made the evening possible!”
In all, around $2500 was raised from the cook-off and corresponding silent auction. All of the funds will go toward the preservation and maintenance of Historic Rugby. “Rugby still has to cover operational costs, even when we’re officially closed for the winter season,” said co-organizer Robb Goldwire. “The Chili Cook-Off helps our historic village keep going during those lean months, plus it’s a great way to make new friends and taste prize-winning chili recipes from the community.”
Rugby, Tennessee was founded in 1880 as a British colony. It’s adjacent to the Big South Fork National Recreation Area and is a 2.5 hour drive from Nashville and a little over an hour away from Knoxville.
