Gregas repeats as Super Chili Bowl champion
By Patricia Bogumil
Editor
An elite panel of more or less expert chili tasters opened wide and said “Aah” over and over again Friday, when Edstrom Industries in Waterford hosted a chili cook-off to benefit the Chestnut Club senior care center in Burlington.
Tossing back swigs of bottled water and handfuls of oyster crackers to cleanse their palates, four judges spooned their way through pots of chili offered for judging by eight Edstrom employees.
In the end, this year’s winner was also last year’s Super Chili Bowl Challenge winner.
Besides again taking home a large dose of bragging rights, Andrew Gregas earned a first-prize medal and $25 Chili’s gift card for his winning ReRe’s Spicy Italian Chili, which he said features Italian sausage instead of beef, and is light on the beans.
Second-place went to Cory Cyrus, who won a medal and set of Penzey’s chili spices. His Sunday Morning Chili is “just spicy enough,” Cyrus said, and features a lot of Bloody Mary Mix.
Katy Smith’s Southwestern Chicken Chili earned her a third-place medal and chili soup bowl gift set. Her chili offers bold southwestern flavors, Smith said, and includes black beans, chipotle penne pasta and chicken.
Other cooks in the cook-off were Connie Robinson, Colleen Clark, Janet Soens, Paula McHugh and Michelle Daoust.
“Wooh! That was a lot of fun!” said Judge Dan Prailes of the Cotton Exchange, stuffing a handful of bills afterward into an employee collection jar set up nearby.
“Awesome!” agreed judges Tom Schuerman of Chances and Colleen Lois of the Chestnut Club. “I’m glad they invited me!” said Jennifer Thomas of the Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce.
With Edstrom employees lining up Friday and again Monday to pay $3 for a bowl of chili for lunch, the Feb. 1 cook-off raised about $200 for the Chestnut Club.
These funds will be used to help pay for a new whirlpool tub planned for Club participants, which will cost about $14,000 plus material and labor, said Lois.
Once the whirlpool bath is purchased, she added, the Club will also be in need of some plumbing services. “If someone is able to donate some time and craftsmanship to offset the costs of installation, we would really appreciate it,” Lois said.
This is the second time Edstrom has stepped up to help the Chestnut Club, Lois noted. Last August, Edstrom donated and delivered a care package filled with essential items to help the Club’s participants for one month.
“We want to continue supporting their efforts,” explained Paula McHugh, supervisor of the Edstrom Document Control Department, who helped organize the chili cook-off.
“We’d like to challenge other businesses, families or individuals to help raise money towards the purchase of the new whirlpool tub for the Chestnut Club.”
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