Texas native Kevin Foley launched his competitive chili cooking career more than 38 years ago. His first chili victory was in 1984 at a local chili cook-off. Since then, it’s only taken him 38 years and one perfect pot of red chili to become an overnight success. His lifelong love of food and cooking started early on. Once he was tall enough to reach the stove, Kevin would start the family dinner before his working parents returned home. For years, he cooked chili with family, friends and co-workers and often brought his 1955 chile pepper red Ford F-100 truck, which was integral to one heck of a booth and show. Kevin met his future wife Donna out on the chili trail. Their first ICS competition was the 2002 ICS Texas State Championship which Donna won–and both were hooked for life! Kevin’s nationwide cooking adventures have been quite successful. He’s won many state championships including Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii, as well as many regional cook-offs. Family and chili go hand-in-hand, so Kevin has long since recruited his father-in-law, sister and sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, friends and even a few strangers to join the chili world. After initially providing them with a "chili kit" of meat, spices and instructions, they developed into formidable chiliheads in their own right. His biggest challenge is often winning against the friends and family cooking alongside him in his own tent! A win is truly exciting, but it's his ever-growing family of chili friends that make it all worth it. After placing second in the 2021 Homestyle Chili World Championship, Kevin became obsessed with winning the coveted and stylish Bush’s Beans Champion’s Jacket. He spent the next two years honing his homestyle recipe and was thrilled to achieve that lofty goal by winning the 2023 Homestyle Chili World Championship. He looks forward to the donning that beautiful yellow jacket with matching mitts throughout his 2023-2024 Homestyle Champion’s Tour. Kevin, the 2022 Traditional Red Chili World Champion, was honored to earn a WCCC Grand Master Red Chili Cook Award in 2016. He thanks everyone who both encouraged and beat him along the way. His advice: sometimes losing is the best lesson of all. Let’s all welcome and encourage younger and newer cooks and keep the spirit of chili alive and well.