The weather was beautiful, friendly competition filled the air, and the chili was delicious: the 2023 UHD Chili Cook-Off was truly an event to remember!

ESO had the honor of hosting UHD’s annual chili cook-off for the second year in a row, which featured 14 chili-cooking teams serving over 70 gallons of chili (and plenty of assorted fixings, of course) to more than 300 staff, faculty, students, and community members.

When attendees weren’t enjoying the delicious chili they were playing jumbo games, winning UHD-themed giveaways, voting on their choices for “People’s Choice Chili” and “Best Décor”, snapping photos with an instant camera, listening to live music from Mariachi Los Caimanes, posing for face painting and caricatures, visiting event vendors, and enjoying complimentary beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

The competition at this year’s cook-off was fierce, and all 14 chili-cooking teams impressed the five event judges and the 300+ event attendees. Chili and décor scoring/voting was completely virtual for the first time, and the results were reported faster than ever thanks to an automated scoring system. Curious to know what the judges and attendees thought? Check out the results:

“Best Chili”, as scored by the five event judges:

1. Bad Rumor Kookers – Team Captain (TC): Victor Landin
2. Chili Nelson – TC: Albert Alonzo
3. Los Bad & Boujee – TC: Stefany Records

“People’s Choice Chili” and “Best Décor”, as voted upon by the 269 event attendees who cast their votes:

• Big Daddy’s Chili – TC: Adrian Mallard

10 other teams served up delicious chili, and we’d like to extend an extra helping of gratitude to them:

• Smoked Up Cookers – TC: Craig Heitmiller
• UHD Bike Club – TC: Bryan Alvarado
• The Ten Chili Commandments – TC: Jordal Gipson
• Boots Beef & Beans Chili – TC: Alex Alvarez
• Here 4 the Beer Cookers – TC: Adam Valdez
• Code 1 Cookers – TC: Lt. Vanessa Gay
• Kool-Arrows – TC: Nick Martinez
• Gator Bayou Cookers – TC: Michael Manuel
• Good Chili (like good burger but chili) – TC: Marvin Deaver
• Chili Reaction – TC: Courtney Cain

This event was a collaborative undertaking that ESO could not have accomplished alone. We would like to thank everyone involved in making the 2023 UHD Chili Cook-Off a success, including the following partners:

1. All event attendees – thank you for joining us!
2. UHD’s Office of the President
3. Saint Arnold Brewing Company
4. UHD’s Enrollment Ambassadors
5. Official event judges
   • Krista Gehring, Faculty Senate President
   • Gerrelyn Davidson, Staff Council Treasurer
   • Jesus Nieto, Student Government Association President
   • Bonnie Blumberg, Lecturer of Mathematics and Statistics
   • Jay Zambrano, Vice President for Advancement & University Relations
6. UHD’s Environmental and Health Safety Office
7. UHD’s Facilities Management Team
8. UHD’s Conference & Event Services Team
9. UHD’s Advancement & University Relations Team
10. UHD Police Department
11. UHD Chartwells
12. Best Entertainers
13. Houston Face Painting and Balloons
14. Century 21 Olympian
15. Built Solid Fitness
16. Brittney Allgood with Trusting MyTalent

This year’s chili cook-off was an event to remember, and our event photographers snapped hundreds of pictures to commemorate the occasion. Please reach out to ESO if you are interested in seeing photos of you, your friends, and/or your team. We’ll be happy to share those with you if we have them!

Thanks again for sharing in the fun with us, Gators. We look forward to bringing you an even more delicious cook-off in 2024!