CHESTER — Nothing warms a winter's night like a steeping hot bowl of chili. Just ask the dads on hand last Friday night at Chester Academy. Chili is also the perfect recipe for family fun.
For the second year, Chester Academy's PTA hosted a Dads Chili Cook-Off with proud fathers and chili fans showing up with their best recipes to enter into the contest. More than 100 people came out for the event.
Long tables lined the walls in the Chester Academy cafe, where dads wore hats and colorful aprons. Some fathers even went a bit further, offering toppings for their chili samples including corn chips, corn bread, peppers and grated cheese.
Children and other chili fans in attendance were able to vote for their favorite soupy selections throughout the evening.
At the end of the night, after all the tasting and voting ended, proud grandfather Dick Hannemann took top chili honors. Hannemann had been a contender last year as well and, according to Chester PTA president Jodi Antoine, he was ready for this year's chili battle.
"He was ready to take first," Antoine said.
She added the chili cook-off will continue to be an annual event at Chester Academy.
— Julie Huss
