Calling all cookoff enthusiasts and chili connoisseurs!
An award-winning cast of PNWU chili cooks is seeking participation and support for their efforts in the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue’s Chili Cook Off, scheduled for Saturday, October 15, from 5– 8 p.m. at State Fair Park’s Modern Living Building (1301 S. Fair Ave, Yakima, WA).
“If we’re going to win, we need our supporters to come out,” explained PNWU Chief Information Officer Jameson Watkins. “Can you hold a knife? Have you ever chopped up a vegetable? You’re hired!”
Having previously stirred two award-winning PNW-stews at the annual event, Watkins represents PNWU alongside just one fellow cook – Associate Director of Assessment Travis Cherry. Despite being short-handed, the two are confident, and eager to welcome additional PNWU staff, faculty and students to climb aboard our esteemed chili championship train.
A certified BBQ judge himself, Watkins’ previous competition cooking experience extends far beyond chili (… he also cooked bacon). Those skills pair well with those of Travis Cherry, who he describes as a “one-man chili-wrecking machine.”
“Think Kool-Aid guy, but with chili,” pledged Watkins. “Travis commits his days to foraging at a local pepper farm, finding the most flavorful chilies out there, and returns to spend all evening roasting, stewing, and blending the perfect bowl.”
“That, and my salsa technique,” winked Cherry, who went on to claim that every bite of his chili “is like feeling that little spark when two chili peppers fall in love.”
In addition to awarding chili glory, the annual event supports the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue, a non-profit, no-kill pet rescue organization run by dedicated volunteers that have saved over 13,000 pets. “This is their main fundraiser of the year to pay for all the food, care, beds, litter boxes, and chewies they need,” Watkins explained. “PNWU fields a team to support their efforts and show the community we’re here and involved. Plus, you get to sample as much chili as you want (or can handle; these are separate things) from a variety of teams as well as listen to music and bid on silent auction items.”
If you’re interested in joining PNWU’s award-winning chili cookoff team, current cooks encourage you to reach out (tcherry@pnwu.edu) and offer the following additional information:
We need to make TEN GALLONS of chili, decorate a table, and serve hundreds of people. For perspective, a small child could comfortably sit in the size of pot we need.
Side note: We use only fresh-ground chuck beef from a cow…
Another set of hands would go a LONG way!