There is no shortage of things to do at the Ocean Beach Street Fair, but the one essential stop is at its signature event, the Chili Cook-Off. Located at the foot of Veterans Avenue, right on the water with the best view of the whole event, the cook off is a lot of fun with boisterous chefs and their crew doing what they can to garner votes for their chili in a friendly competition.
You’ll want to get there early. While the tasting doesn’t start until 11 a.m. the line can start forming up to an hour earlier. Tickets for tasting and judging the various entrants chili is the same as last year: $2 for two servings or you can get a people’s choice ticket for $20 allowing you to sample chili from all the competitors. There are two categories with almost two dozen cooks represented. Contestants are judged in two categories, restaurant and amateur, with criteria set to include consistency, smell, color and taste. Both meat and vegetarian chili will be available, but even with all those competitors the food goes fast. Another 60 gallons of chili will be provided by area restaurant Shades Oceanfront Bistro and Craves Café. Even set alongside the 10 gallons from each of the contestants, it’s all gone by 2 p.m. The Chili Cook-Off is now in its 32nd year, founded in 1984 by Mike Akey, a member of the OBMA board of directors, with money raised by the event going to help fund Ocean Beach’s annual fireworks display. According to Akey, while ingredients vary and some can include ingredients as diverse as rattlesnake and alligator, “the biggest difference in competitors is the heat,” he said. “Some booths try to ramp up demand up demand for their wares by having themed booths and costumes. Bedsides the awards for the chili, we also have an award for the most enthusiastic entrant. You can always tell who has the most popular by the lines at their booths.” Other prizes are awarded for “People’s Choice” and “Hottest Chili”
For his part, after more than 30 years of Chili Cook Offs, Akey is just as enthusiastic as ever about the event. “I was born and raised here, so It’s great fun for a good cause,” he said. But does he still enjoy eating it as much as he used to? “Once a year does me just fine now,” he joked.
