South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside turned up the heat on Feb. 1, hosting its first-ever Chili Cook Off and drawing a packed crowd of community members eager to sample, judge and celebrate a winter comfort classic.
The inaugural event invited local chili enthusiasts to compete for two honors: a judges’ prize and a “People’s Choice” award voted on by attendees. Guests could purchase tasting kits that allowed them to serve as judges, which included chili samples from every competitor, a voting token, a tasting cup and spoon and a beer token.
The judges’ prize went to Oceanside resident Enrique Miguez, who impressed the panel with a chili inspired by his family’s culinary roots.
“I watched my dad cook — he was a chef — so any ingredients he used, I usually incorporate into my food,” Miguez said.
Miguez’s chili featured a blend of ground beef, sweet Italian sausage and chuck roast, which he seared before braising in the oven for four hours. He added Spanish pimenton dulce and hot paprika, along with a scallop-based sauce and finished the dish with a Parmesan cheese crisp topping.
Friends had encouraged him to enter a competition for years, he said, but it was a recent batch of chili he made for the football playoffs — and encouragement from his wife — that finally pushed Miguez to sign up.
“I didn’t know what would happen,” Miguez said. “I just wanted people to taste it.”
The crowd favorite award went to Matt Walters of Rockville Centre, whose secret sweet and spicy chili earned the People’s Choice title. His chili included a blend of ground meat with peppers, beans and aliums, seasoned with a secret mix of 12 spices and a small amount of chili pepper extract.
Walters, a neighbor of competitor John Zak, said the event brought together cooks of all experience levels in a relaxed, welcoming setting.
South Shore Craft Brewery co-owner Nick Cimorelli said the idea for the cook off grew out of the brewery’s focus on community-driven events.
“We’re very community-based,” Cimorelli said. “What you see here is everyone from the community coming together, and that’s really why we did it.”
Cimorelli said chili was a natural choice for the brewery’s first competition because of its accessibility.
“There’s nothing better than chili on a cold day,” he said. “It’s comforting, it’s easy to make and it gives people a reason to get out of the house.”
Having also competed, Cimorelli noted the timing before the Super Bowl helped the event feel special. With clear skies and mild winter weather helping boost attendance, Cimorelli said the strong turnout exceeded expectations and could lead to similar events in the future.
“We hope to do more,” he said. “Maybe a Mac and Cheese competition, chicken wings — things that are fun and bring people together.”
For many attendees, the cook off offered more than just good food. It provided a chance to connect with neighbors, support local businesses and celebrate the creativity simmering within the Oceanside community.
