Chile cookoff heats up Pueblo of Acoma

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

James Rasey, first place winner in the traditional red chili category at the International Chili Society sanctioned cook off at Sky City Casino Hotel Saturday looks over his Acoma pot, part of his prizes. He also won $800 cash and eligibility to compete in the World Chili Cook Off in Omaha, Neb., the first weekend in October where the winner receives $25,000. [Courtesy Photo]

PUEBLO OF ACOMA — Tasting hot chile on a hot summer day seemed to be the thing to do Saturday.

More than 1,000 people attended the 2007 Chili Cook Off at Sky City Casino Hotel, and in doing so, the event sold chile tasting kits to the public and raised $1,985 for the Pueblo of Acoma Boys and Girls Club, Sky City spokesman Phil Robertson said.

Twenty-five chefs cooked Chili Verde (green chile), traditional red chile, and salsa resulting in three people qualifying to attend the World Championship in Omaha, Neb., the first weekend in October.

Bob Plager, of Littleton, Colo., who already qualified for the world event in Laughlin, Nev., was a judge this year.

"The cook off here has really improved from three years ago," he said.

"One of the things they did was to have a chief judge who makes sure the cook off runs right."

Steve Tomasek, of Castle Rock, Colo., said Sky City's willingness to improve the event over the past couple of years was why he attended this year.

His wife, Bonnie Tomasek won first place in the salsa category and was one of the three winners to be eligible to go to the world championship. He had already qualified as well, also in the salsa category, in Jalisco, Mexico, he said.

He and his wife compete in all three categories and he said it takes a lot of organizational skills.

"You have three chiles cooking at once beginning one, ending one, putting one into the judging a lot of people don't like to compete because there is a lot of overlap," he said.

Tomasek and Plager said they like the camaraderie that develops with the cooks, even though there is competition.

Plager is a former three-time world champion in the salsa category, with another organization, Behind the Stove, based in Terlingua, Texas, he said.

He said his wife Kathy Plager won the International Chili Society's world championship in 1998. ICS is the sanctioning and governing body of this past weekend's event and it is the only official cook off this year.

Brooks Jordan, entertainment manager for Sky City, said a big difference this year in making the event better was the cooperation and effort of every department in the casino hotel.

He said Sky City will be looking at whether to increase the prize money for next year.

This year the first place winners received $800, $500 and $100, for red chile, Chili Verde and salsa, respectively.

Each winner, first through third places also received Acoma pottery.

"We will also be looking at whether we should have a welcoming party for all the cooks the night before the event," he said.

During the cook off, Hollywood actor and former rock and roll star Mickey Jones, who played Pete Bilker of K& B Construction on "Home Improvement," with Tim Allen, was in the front lobby signing autographs.

He was a rock 'n' roll drummer for 30 years with such recording artists as Trini Lopez, Johnny Rivers and Bob Dylan, before turning to acting.

His new book, "That Would be Me: Rock and Roll Survivor to Hollywood Actor," will officially be released on July 14, he said.

With the advent of reality TV he said work for him as a character actor has slowed, but he is getting more involved with personal appearances and an upcoming book tour that is keeping him busy.

Cook off results:
Traditional Red Chile
First place, James Rasey
Second place, Al Henry
Third place, George Lott

Chili Verde
First place, Judy Wedermeyer
Second place, Charles Rigby
Third place, Anita Cordova

Salsa
First place, Bonnie Tomasek
Second place, Charles Rigby
Third place, Anita Cordova

Information about Jones and his book are on his Website: mickeyjones.com.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or fax: (505) 287-2581.