Manjiji Mala Takes Gold at TOKY’s Chili Cook-Off

On Thursday we gathered our crockpots and cumin for TOKY’s contentious Chili Cook-Off. Six teams faced off, with a star panel of judges that included clients, vendors, and friends:

John Heaney of The Advertisers Printing Co.
Philip Marshall of Centene Corporation
Michael and Tara Gallina of Vicia
Angela Hutti of FOX 2 News

toky-chili-cook-off-judges — Our panel of judges featured, from left to right, John Heaney, Philip Marshall, Michael and Tara Gallina, and Angela Hutti.

Just a couple food enthusiasts, a TV personality, and two award-winning restaurateurs who appeared on Chef’s Table. No pressure.

Chili entries ranged from deconstructed to pun-filled, paired with plenty of creative beverages and place settings.

TOKY Chili Cook-Off Prep

And the winners are:

1^st Place: Manjiji Mala, a Korean-inspired chili served with soju

2^nd Place: Blazing Sopapillas, a roasted chili base topped with a tiny sopapilla

3^rd Place: A Chili Story, an ode to TOKY Creative Director Geoff Story

Manjiji Mala Chili Cook-Off — The winning Manjiji Mala entry from Team 3: Jay David, Liz Mohl, and Jane Winburn.

TOKY Blazing Sopapillas Chili — Second place entry, Blazing Sopapillas, from Team 1: Alec Gleason, Kelcey Towell, Melissa Allen, and Katherine Leonard.

A Chili Story – TOKY Chili Cook-Off — A Chili Story, the third place-winner, from Team 6: Katy Fischer, Roslyn Weimer, and Daniel Korte.

After all was said and done, we asked the judges how our spread compared to past competitions they’ve judged.

“The presentation was great,” said judge John Heaney.

“Yeah, but how about taste?” we asked.

“Beautiful presentation.”

Looks like we should stick to what we do best.