University News

Chili Cook Off: H.E.L.P. Event to Raise Environmental and HFC Awareness

October 31, 2008

Share Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL -- Put on your aprons, open those beans and get ready to H.E.L.P. raise environmental awareness! The Horn Environmental Learning Project, a.k.a. H.E.L.P., is hosting its first chili cook off competition from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6, at Western Illinois University's Horn Field Campus (HFC).

According to Melinda Brooks, a senior in the recreation, park and tourism administration (RPTA) department at WIU, the cook off is a way to raise awareness about H.E.L.P. and HFC, as well as to have fun and let master chili-makers show off their skills.

"There are many H.E.L.P members who like to brag about their cooking skills, so this cook off will determine who can really cook," Brooks said.

The rules for H.E.L.P.'s Nov. 6 chili cook off include:

  • Chili will not be made on site. It must be at HFC before 6:30 p.m., cooked and ready to serve
  • Each cook should provide a large pot of chili (the more you bring the more will be eaten!);
  • Fillers (such as beans, rice, noodles etc.) will be allowed;
  • Four WIU faculty members will judge the competition, and none of them will be told who cooked each chili dish;
  • Each chili dish will be assigned a number, which will be written on the bottom of the judging cups;
  • The judges will taste each chili dish and judge on the following criteria: aroma, consistency, taste, aftertaste and spice/flavor;
  • Judges will not be allowed to talk about any of the individual chili dishes during the judging phase;
  • Scoring: Each cup of chili will be scored on its own merits with a whole number from 0–10, 10 being the highest. No pluses, minuses, fractions or decimals will be taken into consideration.


Winners will be announced the same night, and first place will receive a cash prize. Second and third place will receive prizes donated by local businesses. Admission is $2.

Horn Field Campus is located south of Macomb on China Road. From South Johnson Street (past Macomb High School), turn right on China Road and follow the road one-quarter of a mile to the Horn Field Campus entrance. Parking is permitted on the HFC lot.

For more information, contact Brooks at ML-Brooks3@wiu.edu or the HFC office at (309) 833-5798.

Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing