Chili Cookoff

Trinity Christian Academy’s yearly tradition of Turkey in the Ground happened very recently, including the famous 23rd Annual Chili Cookoff! The numerous chilis were tasted and rated by the judges but there was only one winner for the students and one for the parents.

The chili cookoff has been a staple part of Turkey in the Ground for 23 years now. Turkey in the Ground is the yearly near-Thanksgiving tradition which involves, well, burying turkeys in the ground and cooking them. Then, the families of Trinity Christian Academy all go to Barber Gym and eat together as one family. Since the beginning of Turkey in the Ground, people have been making chili and sharing it with the other eagles here at TCA, but it was not until the Eagle Gym was built, when the first official cookoff was held. The first cookoff was a little bit chaotic. Mrs. Creacy, a TCA English teacher who was at the first chili cookoff, recalls that the electrical breakers blew out due to the overwhelming number of crockpots brought into the gym. She explained to the journalists that every one of the crockpots were plugged and surged into the electrical system, blowing out the power! Thankfully, the chili cookoff is now held in Barber Gym, which is able to energize all of the crockpots, making sure it is desirable to eat.

The judges for the 23rd Annual Chili Cookoff were as follows, Coach Smiley, Coach Hale, Coach Campbell, Coach Boyd, and Mr. Whiteaker. They were all excited to gorge themselves on chili, especially Coach Hale who planned on not eating three days before the cookoff to prepare to eat as much as possible. Mr. Whiteaker was happy to share what he prefers in chili, his preferences His answer was “Yes.” He loves every type of chili. Mr. Whiteaker enjoys eating all chili, from mild to spicy, from chicken to beef and even chili’s with beans or without beans, so sadly there is no secret special ingredient to put in your chili for next year. The only things that were judged on were, the chili’s appearance, its aroma, and its overall flavor. After the points are tallied the judges decide on a winner for both the student and parent category.

The cookoff this year was a blast, with over forty participants combined between the two categories. The winners both put a lot of effort into their chilis and clearly they deserved their victories. The winner in the student category was Addy Hilton, a sophomore journalist in Trinity Times. She used regular beef to get her win over the competition. The judges told her she won due to its “simplicity.” Addy is a 1st time winner of the chili cookoff. The winner in the parents category was Matt Hunter. Both winners got the first place reward of one hundred dollars cash. The judges loved the winners’ dishes and had a great night spending time with the community.

The chili cookoff is a staple part of Turkey in the Ground and Trinity Christian Academy as a whole, giving the families here many unforgettable memories, from the first chaotic cookoff to this most recent cookoff. Making a tasty chili is hard work. If you know a person who created a chili for the cookoff, make sure to congratulate them for their hard-work, even if it was not your personal cup of tea.