By Winthrop Rodgers
Contributing Writer

Armed with giant pots and long spoons, dozens of cooks served up steaming cups of meat and beans on October 19 for the annual West Chester Chili Cook-off. Gay Street was crammed with people sampling each offering, tossing tokens into buckets to vote for their favorites. Some competitors were eager to share the joy of family recipes, while others were from nearby restaurants and businesses hoping to earn new customers.

“I've done this every year. It’s always fun,” said Emmett Mauer, 39, who was making his way around the event with a red plastic spoon. His favorite chilis of the day were from Ryan’s Bar, whose tent was conveniently located in front of its establishment, and Bishop Shanahan High School.

“It’s my alma mater, so I’m a little biased,” he admitted with a laugh.

The Rotarians were on hand with their “Founders Chili.” Mama Bear had its “Just Right Chili,” trying to find the Goldilocks spice balance. The cooks at Wall Street Heat tried to sell passersby on the kick of their bubbling pot. Radio station WCHE mixed it up with a southwestern chicken white chili.

Paul Armstrong, 38, and his family, competing as the “Tongue Torchers,” served out a recipe handed down from their grandparents. The first-time competitors’ entry was a little sweet, but with heat that built on the back end.

“It’s exciting,” said Armstrong, who arrived at 7 a.m. to start cooking. “We just met out here and split up ingredients and shopping lists and duties and we're making it work.”

It was a lighthearted atmosphere with perfect fall weather, but the organizers had an important purpose: fighting hunger and food insecurity. The lead organizer of the event for the second year in a row was Fiorenza's Food For Friends (F4), a Downingtown-based non-profit.

“Ultimately, it was an opportunity to create awareness specifically around food insecurity and hunger in Chester County and beyond,” said Derek Fiorenza, 38, F4’s founder. “If we have awareness, we can mobilize the support and allocate those resources to local pantries that are feeding those individuals in the community in need.”

Fiorenza said that even in the county, which is one of the wealthiest in the Commonwealth, approximately 70,000 people in the county are food insecure. That means that they do not know where their next meal is coming from.

“There are many faces of hunger. It's really difficult because even people that have jobs might suffer from food insecurity and hunger. Some people might be working one, two, or three jobs and they're still having trouble feeding their families,” he explained.

“Any of us could fall victim to hunger. It could be one job loss, one medical issue, and it leads to series of events where you're not able to provide for yourself or your family,” he added.

In a video posted after the event concluded, Fiorenza thanked sponsors, vendors, and the public and showed trays of leftover chili and other food that would be donated to local domestic violence charity Safe Harbor.

The cook-off was also an opportunity for a wide range of other non-profits and businesses to engage with the public, many of whom were wearing Philadelphia Eagles gear and waiting for the game against the Minnesota Vikings to start. Local bands and artists performed on the steps of the courthouse and on street corners.

A team from the Propell Credit Union made a chili with “three kinds of meat, three kinds of beans, and three kinds of chiles.” Last year, they participated just as a vendor, but thought they would bring some spice this year and make a chili too.

“It’s great community involvement,” said David Dawson, 27, stirring the chili pot with a large paddle. The credit union is mostly based in neighboring Delaware County, but moved into Chester County last year, so the cook-off was an opportunity to show its commitment to its new home.

Local restaurant Station 142, which opened in April, was using the cook-off opportunity to get its name out there and test out a new “Rockin’” chili recipe.

“Honestly, I'm very picky about my chili, but I would eat ours a thousand times over. I think it's pretty good,” boasted Paige Tomey, 21, who was handing out inflatable guitars to highlight the restaurant’s focus on live music. “We just want to showcase our great food and I thought this was the perfect opportunity.”

“It really brings the whole community together, and everyone just wants to taste some good chili and have a good time. So, I think it's awesome,” she added.