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On Saturday, August 2, seven
competitors participated in the annual Double D’s Memorial Chili
Cook-off, which is part of the fair tradition for several people.
The event is held at the Knights of
Columbus Pavilion the final weekend of the Logan County Fair.
Dirk Conrady took over in 2024 after Doug Ritterbush stepped down
from the role in 2023. Sadly, Ritterbush died just weeks after the
2023 fair. The Doug Demay Chili Cook-Off was renamed Double D’s
Memorial Chili Cook-Off last year in memory of both Doug Demay and
Doug Ritterbush.
As usual, competitors included several veterans along with a couple
new ones. Some chilis were spicy, some were sweet, some were meaty,
and some were all of the above.
It was a fun place to be as competitors gave everyone an opportunity
to sample their chili.
Newcomer Bryce Thornton said he
uses meat and three varieties of beans in his chili. It is a chili
for everyone.
Veteran competitor Lisa Conrady
made a sweet and thick chili using ground beef and beans.
Cook-off veterans Jim and Sandy
Bobell have competed many times placing in the top three several
times. They said their chili was just a basic chili.
Nick White, another newcomer, used
breakfast sausage, Nuthatch Hill brisket and ground beef. He said it
is sweet and spicy.
Newcomer Jim Follis uses meat,
beans, tomatoes, onions and poblano. He said his chili is spicy
Tom Cecil, who has won the
competition before, is the father of newly crowned Junior Miss
Courtney Cecil, who made the chili king sign for him. He said his
chili is a little on the spicy side.
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David Carter, who has been in the
competition at least once before, used pork loin and bacon. He said
his chili sweet and spicy.
Among those trying the chili were
the new fair royalty, who sampled a bit of each one. Those who
sampled chilis seem to enjoy various flavor combinations.
After the judges sampled all the chilis, decided on which table had
the best presentation and tallied the results, the winners were
announced.
2025 chili cook-off winners
included:
Tommy Cecil won both the people’s
choice award and best presentation.
Third place was awarded to Nick
White followed by David Carter in second place.
First place went to Jim and Sandy
Bobell, who won the cookoff in 2015, 2022, and 2024.
The top three winners receive plaques and cash prizes while the top
team will have their name on a plaque placed in the fair office.
[Angela Reiners]
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