Chile cookoff sees the best, hottest

Sunday's New Mexico Chili Cookoff winner in the traditional red chili category, Billy Ray, of Riverside, Calif., repeats from last year. Ray went to the world championship competition last year, also representing New Mexico. [photo by Jim Tiffin / Independent]

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

PUEBLO OF ACOMA — The Fourth Annual Chili Cookoff at Sky City Casino Hotel was actually two International Chili Society events rolled into one.

On Saturday, the cookoff was the Southwest Regional Championship and Sunday was the New Mexico Championship.

Six first place winners all have the right to represent New Mexico at the world championship competition in October. The location and date has not yet been announced by the society.

Ray Sandoval, of Acoma, won the salsa category on Sunday.

“I was surprised. You don’t expect to even place, then you win,” he said.

Marjorie Garcia, of El Paso, Texas, who said she attends the cookoffs here every year, said the salsa Sandoval made “just exploded with flavor in my mouth.”

“There was not that much heat, which was nice,” she said.
Billy Ray, of Riverside Calif., won the red chile category on Sunday, repeating as the champion. He represented New Mexico last year as well.

Ray said he uses tri-tip beef roast in his chile because it cooks well. He said he uses five different chile powders.
“I cook a different recipe at every cookoff,” he said. “The tastes are different in different parts of the country.”

Ray won the world championship chili competition in 2001 in Reno, Nev.

George Lott, of Pueblo, Colo., was the big winner this year, however, walking away with the green and red chili first place trophies on Saturday.

Lott said he has been to the world championships eight straight years but has never won.

He said he uses three chile found in Pueblo for his recipes, the Anaheim chile, the pueblo chile and Big Jim chile.

He also uses the beef tri-tip roast in his red chile as well as a special chile powder, chimaye, which is a New Mexico chile powder.

Paul Whitney, chief judge for the ICS events said the two cookoffs raised $2,189 for the Acoma Running Club. Each year the event selects a local charity to raise funds, last year was the Acoma Boys and Girls Club.

Whitney said he was somewhat disappointed that not one local cook competed in the green chile event on Sunday.

“I know there are cooks here (Cibola County) who are proud of their green chile. Where were they?” He asked.

Millie Chavez, of Milan, took second in the salsa category on Saturday, but was not available for comment. She did not return and compete on Sunday.

All of the top three winners received Acoma pottery as part of their prizes. They also all received cash, first place: salsa, $100; green chile, $400; red chile $800.

Because Lott won the green and red chile competition on Saturday, he took home two Acoma pots and $1,200 in cash prizes.

There were also $100 cash prizes for the people’s choice awards in best decorated booth, and best salsa, green and red chiles. These winners also received Acoma pottery.

Winners are expected to pay their own way to the world championship again this year as every year.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 285-4560 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.