Community Corner

Chili Cook Off a Huge Success

Almost 20,000 people headed to Somers for the weekend-long event.

The 2012 two-day, New England Regional Chili Cook Off at is now in the International Chili Society record books, and it was a huge success.

This was the first time since the mid 1990s that there was a back-to-back cook off in New England.

There were cooks from all over the United States, and organizer Michael Freedman said he was honored to have quite a few past ICS champions. Some new NERCC champions were also crowned this weekend.

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Nearly 20,000 people attended the cook offs throughout the weekend, and nobody left hungry. Freedman doesn’t have the final numbers tallied for how much money was raised, but he says that the early estimates “are looking very good.”

Freedman said that six years ago when he and his wife, Kathy, took over the co-chairman positions, they had a dream of returning the New England Regional Chili Cook Off to its prominence of the 1990s.

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“To my wife Kat and I, this was a dream realized,” he said.

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Winners:

Saturday

New England Regional Chili Cook Off #1

People’s Choice: Alison Sacciccio, CT

Showmanship and Best Booth: Cindy Lovell, NY

Salsa:

1st Dave Schulman, CT

2nd Isaiah Frechette, CT

3rd Wendy Hennesy, NH

Chili Verde:

1st Rick LaFrance, MA

2nd Jack Cowell, CT

3rd Jim Weller, IL

Red Chili:

1st Vicki Tankis, MA

2nd Scott E. Navaroli, MA

3rd Rick Sievering, MD

Sunday

New England Regional Chili Cook Off #2

Winner of “Super Hero Sunday”: Michael Merola, CT

People’s Choice: Ian McDaid, CT

Showmanship and Best Booth: Dave Schulman, CT

Salsa:

1st Sarah Schiedel, CT

2nd Isaiah Frechette, CT

3rd Jonathon Everin, NY

Chili Verde:

1st Dave Ronge, CT

2nd Isaiah Frechette, CT

3rd Georgia Weller, IL

Red Chili:

1st Isaiah Frechette, CT

2nd Dave Ronge, CT

3rd Julie Netser, IN

4th Scott E. Navaroli, MA


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