The competition for the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, Salsa and Beer Tasting event is heating up. In its 19th year, this event is a Petaluma staple, always held on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, drawing competitors from all over the west and guests from even farther.
Founder and organizer Laura Sunday moved to Petaluma from Minnesota in the early 1990’s, with husband Michael, and their two young children.
“We picked Petaluma from many other towns in the Bay Area specifically because Cinnabar Theater offered a young repertory program and we had two budding thespians,” said Sunday.
As luck would have it, just as Sunday was brainstorming about a fun way to fundraise for Cinnabar Theater’s youth program, she happened upon a chili cook-off in Mill Valley. She decided to create her own and started by challenging McNear’s and Finbar’s to bring their best chili recipes. From there, others jumped in.
“We started with 12 teams and crowd of about 400 guests,” says Sunday. “Now we have 43 teams, with a waiting list, and upwards of 1,500 guests.”
Sunday, known as the Chili Empress, also created and organizes the Taste of Petaluma and the Lagunitas Crab Feed, so she knows how to put on fun food events. Due to all of Sunday’s efforts, Cinnabar Theater has never turned a child away for need of funds.
The benefits of this event are three-fold. It offers guests a raucous good time, while helping support Cinnabar Theater, and it gives local restaurants and business a chance to showcase themselves.
The more observant new restaurants in town know that being part of Petaluma means participating in events like the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off.
“As soon as we opened back in 2014, we knew we wanted to participate,” said Bellyfull Dinners co-owner Kelly O’Grady. “We deliver delicious cooked meals directly to people’s doorsteps, but do not have a storefront so it can be hard getting the word out. The Chili Cook-off allowed us to introduce ourselves, and our food to the community and we have been competing ever since.”
The Bellyfull team came in with a bang, winning several awards their first year, both for their food and for their costumes and spirit.
This year’s rookie class includes Quinua Cocina Peruana, winner of the 2016 Petaluma People’s Choice awards for Best New Restaurant. Other newbies include Brazil BBQ, Sonoma Spice Queen, TIPS Tri Tip Trolley, Spring Hill Ranch, and Brewster’s Gardens, the beer garden opening this summer next to Buffalo Billiards. The Argus-Courier, which has covered the event for the past 18 years, is this year fielding a team in the competition for the first time.
But do not count out the faithful, many of whom have competed from the very beginning. The Tree Huggin’ Hippies have competed from day one, and have taken home every award possible, along with awards from just about every competition they enter, including the California State Championships.
Trader Joe’s is also a longtime competitor, as are the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Fire Departments, who compete for the coveted Firefighter’s Axe Award, alongside newcomer Goldridge Fire.
Starting with just chili, over the past 18 years Sunday added beer, then salsa, and then split the categories so restaurants/caterers, businesses, service organizations and individuals compete in their own categories.
“The biggest change has been the explosion in craft brewers,” Sunday said.
In fact, the Chili Cook-off is as much a brew-fest as a chili and salsa competition, with more than 20 brewers serving in the beer garden.
Most brew-fest tickets run in the $40 to $50 range and do not include food.
The Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off is a bargain at only $45 because it not only includes beer, but all the chili and salsa you can eat. It is also one of the only local events where one can sample all five Petaluma craft brewers side by side.
Some of the local breweries even use this event to try new recipes, or simply treat their Petaluma faithful to a one-off variation of their beer.
“Petalumans embrace craft beer so we like to treat them to something they might not normally see in our taproom,” said JJ Jay, founder/brewer of Petaluma Hills Brewing Company. This year, three cideries are also joining in the fun, highlighting the North Bay’s growing cider industry.
Entertainment abounds with two bands, dance groups and magicians performing on the outdoor stage. In another area, vendors offer various trinkets and a massage therapist gives free chair massages.
Over nearly two decades, the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, Salsa and Beer Tasting has become an institution, spearheading the North Bay’s summer food festival season.
It is a great way to meet local restaurant and business owners, indulge in chili, salsa, beer and cider, and enjoy a relaxing Petaluma afternoon, all while helping to support Cinnabar Theater’s youth program.
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