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October 23, 2014
In the previous 6 years of the Old Theater’s Chili Cookoff, the judges and the public have had diverging views on what the best chili was. Not this year. The trio of judges and the many members of the public who voted agreed on the winning chili, that made by Seacoast Marine Electronics.Dan Albert of Seacoast Marine serves the chili that was — for the first time in history of the Old Theater Chili Cookoff — both the People’s Choice and the Judge’s Choice.The annual event, now in its seventh year, is a big fundraiser for the Old Theater. 13 local businesses competed this year, serving up samples that the public, who paid for a spoon and a ballot, tasted and then judged.
Seacoast Marine Electronics owner Pete Waterson, at right, with the chefs who made the winning chili – Dan Albert and Becky Bailey.What follows is as best a taste as photos can give….
View of the 2014 Chili Cookoff at Oriental Marina and Inn, as seen from the harbor.Born and raised in Oriental, Elle Dimond and Amron Wagoner served up the Hometown Hotties Chili for the Provision Company.And the winners, as determined by the judges, are …1st Place – Seacoast Marine Electronics (also the People’s Choice winner)
2nd Place – Toucan Grill
3rd Place – First Citizens Bank
Smokiest Chili – Sailcraft Service
Most Attractive Chili – Healthy Habits
Best Green Chili – Cartwright House
Best Presentation – Resurrection Chili – Rigor and Mortise, Rick Smith & Ralf Heit
Most Intriguing – Arlington Place
Chili With Best Garnish – Nautical Wheelers (limes)
Most Creative – Axelson Chiropractic
Dragon’s Breath – West Marine
Mildest Chili – Inland Waterway Provision Company
Best Bouquet – Water Street GrillThe panel who delivered the Judges Choice, from left, Larry Summers, Barb Venturi, Bob Miller.Ralf Heit and Rick Smith came as Rigor & Mortise and served a bean-less Resurrection Chili.[page]
Sailcraft was serving what Jake Arnfast cooked up and called, Pants Off Chili.It owed its orange-red hue to peaches and mangoesThe trophies — People’s Choice at left, and the Judges’ Choice, at right. For the first time in the 7 years of the cookoff, both awards went to the same chili maker — Seacoast Marine Electronics.John Webster sampled the salsa verde porco chili at the Cartwright House table, from chef Bob Locarro and Johnny Reiswig. In front of the pot of chili was an announcement that the Cartwright House B&B would be reopening in the spring, with Bob Locarro in the kitchen there.Skip Bailey samples some chili. The former Maine resident spoke of bringing lobster chili next year.A scene repeated throughout the Chili Cookoff. Here Dan Albert offers up a sample of Seacoast Marine Electronics’ chili. It went on to win both the public judging and the award from a panel of three judgesJennifer Del Rio and Dr. Vieregge of Axelson Chiropractic. Dr. V was offering Spine Tingling Chili. We have it on good authority that the spine shown here was not used for stock.[page]
Ever vigilant about hygiene, Mortise of the Rigor Mortise team wore a hairnet over his wig.Arlington Place cooked up a tasty chili that tasted like beef in a wine sauce, but whose alcohol factor was provided by many Yeungling Black and Tans.In case you didn’t find the chili hot enough… Seacoast Marine had some boosters.Bill Wheeler sported a necklace of peppers. He also was offering wedges of lime for the chili he was offering. (It worked.)Melanie Gordon of Toucan Grill.The 2014 Chili Cookoff at Oriental Marina and Inn.[page]
Charles Boone gets a sample of the new Water Street Grill’s chili.Alien checks out the Old Theater’s 2014 Chili Cookoff. It’s usually keeping watch of upper Broad Street from a window at Pete Waterson’s Seacoast Marine Electronics. Unclear is whether it had some unearthly influence on the Seacoast chili which took top honors – public vote and judges – at the cookoff.Aric S. Queen helps out at the Sailcraft table. He said he was working off a yard bill.Rigor and Mortise claimed their chili had no beans. Nonetheless, they had some product placement for a preventative at their table.Ben Chapin at the West Marine chili pot.[page]
Not your typical chili. An attendee waits for a sample of the Cartwright House’s salsa verde chili, made with pork.Another non-red chili. First Citizen’s Bank had a white chili.. The bank did offer Red Hot Fireballs for those who needed to see some red.The Healthy Habits crew had a black bean based chili.Chili in hand.The Toucan had a lot of company.