{{Short description|Cooking competition}} {{redirect|Bakeoff|the TV show|The Great British Bake Off|the weapons term|Cooking off}} {{Multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date = December 2022}} {{globalize|date = December 2022}} }}

A '''cook-off''' is a cooking competition where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging either by a select group of judges or by the general public. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors (such as restaurants) with very similar dishes, such as chili, and serves as a way to decide which recipe is the best for that particular dish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/entertaining/host-a-chili-cook-off|title=Host a Chili Cook-Off|website=BettyCrocker.com}}</ref>

== Chili cook-off == [[File:2008 Clarksville Chili Cook-Off.jpg|thumb|Clarksville, New Hampshire chili cook-off in 2008]] [[File:Engineering students at chili cook-off, University of Texas at Arlington Engineering building (10002873).jpg|thumb|Engineering students at chili cook-off, University of Texas at Arlington, 1983]] A '''chili cook-off''' is a social event, similar to a barbecue, in which competitors prepare their own particular recipe for chili con carne and submit it for taste testing. A cook-off may be an informal gathering with the simple goal of sharing recipes and enjoying food, or it may be a large-scale event with a panel of judges and prizes for winners.

The Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) sanctions over 550 cook-offs annually that raise over $1,000,000 for charity. Corporate CASI, which sanctions cook-offs, tabulates cookoff results, and puts on the annual Terlingua International Chili Championship, has an annual income of approximately $250,000. Out of this annual income around $60,000 goes to charity. The CASI is a 501(c)(3) corporation.

The International Chili Society (ICS) organizes chili cook-offs as fundraisers. Its annual cook-offs are on a grand scale, with regional qualifying events that attract tens of thousands of participants and a "World Championship" cook-off held in October. The ICS has raised millions of dollars for charity<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chilicookoff.com/History/History_Home.asp |title=International Chili Society |access-date=2008-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820072811/http://chilicookoff.com/History/History_Home.asp |archive-date=2008-08-20 }}</ref> while still awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars to winners.

As early as 1970, many communities have hosted non-ICS cook-offs, leading to a competing "World Championship" cook-off in Terlingua, Texas.

The UK Chilli Cook-off Association organises chilli cook-offs as throughout the UK as fundraisers, culminating in the UK grand final at the Upton Cheyney Chili Festival near Bath, UK – Winners qualify for the World Food Championships Chili Cookoff

Many chili cook-offs were either canceled or moved to virtual events because of the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020 to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bellevillechamber.org/2020/09/28/remote-belleville-chili-cook-off-announced-for-october-9-11/|title=Belleville Chamber of Commerce|website=The Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegreenlaker.com/2020/06/05/chili-cook-off-canned-by-covid-19-freeland-explores-taking-festival-virtual/|title=Chili cook-off canned by COVID-19; Freeland explores taking festival virtual – The Green Laker}}</ref>

=== Notable chili cook-offs === * ''Chilympiad'' in San Marcos, Texas (1970–2002) * Lone Star Chili Cook-off in New York City * 2024 Chili Cookoff Team Generations - Undefeated Champs in Troy{{clarify|date=May 2024|reason=possibly Troy, New York, though one source suggests Ithaca, NY}}

== Ribfest == {{Main|Ribfest}}

A ribfest is a cook-off typically for pork ribs.

=== Notable ribfests === * Canada's Largest Ribfest – Burlington, Ontario<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canadaslargestribfest.com/|title=Canada's Largest Ribfest – &#124; Great Music &#124; Great Food &#124; Great Fun|website=canadaslargestribfest.com}}</ref> * Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off – Sparks, Nevada<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nuggetribcookoff.com/|title=Nugget Rib Cook Off}}</ref> * London Ribfest – London, Ontario<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canadasbiggestparty.com/|title=Family Shows Canada|website=canadasbiggestparty.com}}</ref> * Toronto Ribfest – Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://torontoribfest.com/2021-ribfest-drive-thru/|title=2021 Ribfest Drive-Thru}}</ref> * Canada's largest Halal Barbeque and Fast Food Truck Festival, Toronto, Ontario<ref>{{Cite web |title=HalalRibfest |url=https://www.halalribfest.com/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=www.halalribfest.com}}</ref>

== See also == * ''The Great British Bake Off'', a British television cooking competition series *First Lady Bake-Off

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.chili.org/ Chili Appreciation Society International], a national/international cook-off organizer and promoter of chili for charity * [http://www.ncchili.com/ Piedmont Pepper Pod], the North Carolina subgroup of CASI * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040713002909/http://www.chilicookoff.com/ International Chili Society], a major cook-off organizer * [https://munichchilicookoff.de/ Munich, Germany's long-running chili cook-off] * [http://www.lonestarchilicookoff.org/ Lone Star Chili Cook-off] Texas style Chili Cook-off in New York City * [http://greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com/Great American Seafood Cook-off]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090808134355/http://www.nola.com/festivals/index.ssf/2009/07/great_american_seafood_cookoff.html/ NOLA.com] * [http://www.thefoodexperiments.com/ The Food Experiments], a NYC-based cookoff series * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101126104648/http://mackinacisland.org/events.html Mackinac Island Chili Cook-off], held each February on this remote Island in the Upper Midwest * [http://www.ukchillicookoff.co.uk/ The UK Chilli Cook-off Association]

Category:Food and drink festivals Category:Cooking competitions