The Road to Reno was paved with gold!

The 2001 Annual World's Championship Chili Cookoff® took place in the "Biggest Little City in the World" Reno, Nevada. This was the premier event for the ICS which is entering it's 35th year. Thousands of Chiliheads gathered for three days of chili, friends, and fun. Click here to see pictures!

The big event began Friday evening with thirteen contestants in the Open Salsa Contest with Scott Horton of Australia winning first place. Twenty-seven hopefuls participated in the traditional red chili semi-finals producing five lucky "nearly" last minute cooks.

On Saturday morning seventy-nine salsa buffs chopped and minced some of the most delicious salsas you've ever tasted. Barry Steinberg of Woodland Hills, California, captured the salsa crown and won $1,000 from sponsor Dave Garduno of Gardunos Foods.

Sixty-six devotees of the green pod filled the streets with the aroma of chili verde cooking while they battled for the Chili Verde Championship. Karen Ray from Riverside, CA stewed up the best chili verde and Ben Lovato of Albuquerque Tortilla Company gave her $3,000 in green for cooking the best green. The Last Chance traditional red chili cookoff, with twenty-seven participants, allowed Debbie Turner to be the very last cook to qualify for Sunday's big competition.

Karen Ray
2001 World Championship Chili Verde Winner

On Sunday afternoon 112 finalists assembled to hear Chief Judge Fred Wieland give last minute instructions on when to light their fires, the rules for cooking and the turn-in time and location.

The opening ceremonies began with a moment of silence for the victims of September 11th and their families. Bagpipes played Amazing Grace and Aisling Bowyer, star of the Harrah's showroom, sang The Star-Spangled Banner. Carroll Shelby, former World Champion race car driver and creator of the famous Shelby Mustang and Shelby Cobra, admitted to starting the cookoffs 35 years earlier as a publicity stunt and marveled at what it had become. Carroll's wife, Cleo, then announced to the crowd "Ladies and Gentlemen - light your stoves."

While the cooks sliced, diced, chopped, minced, music played from both stages and fun contests began on the main stage. Christine Zimmerman ended up with $100 prize money and a plaque declaring her the 2001 Miss Chili Pepper. Kaden Stewart's back flips won him a plaque, $100 and the title of Mr. Hot Stuff. Mike Stewart's Baja Chili team was awarded Best Booth and received $500 for their efforts.

 

George Swick
2001 World Championship Chili Winner

Finally, George Swick of Bakersfield, California, was proclaimed the winner of the coveted bronze chili pot and check for $25,000 presented by Les Horne of McIlhenny Company and Rusty Hancock of Martex Software. George's chili philosophy is simple: "Have a good time, but remember timing is everything." Be sure to check out the Cooks Corner to see this year's winning recipes!