The third annual Great Mac & Chili Challenge is set for Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport.
A four-legged visitor to last year’s event enjoyed the mac n’ cheese. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo
Event Director Jim Keenan, who held the 10th annual Chowdafest to record crowds at the same venue in September, says he plans “to push the culinary boundaries in this year’s competition.”
“You never know where you might find a great chili or mac n’ cheese” says Keenan. “For example, you wouldn’t expect a great mac n’ cheese from a pizza joint, would you?
“Well you can find an incredible Alfredo Mac recently entered in this year from Planet Pizza in Norwalk,” he adds.
Keenan said that is just one example says of this year’s offerings, including a pesto mac n’ cheese from the Cask Republic or a spinach and artichoke mac from Killer B, both of Norwalk.
Among this year’s contestants are: Joe’s American Bar & Grill of Fairfield; Planet Pizza of Norwalk; Monroe’s Firehouse Grill; Hub and Spoke of Black Rock.Bridgeport; Little Pub of Wilton, Fairfield, Ridgefield and Greenwich; Prime 16 from Orange; The Blind Rhino from Norwalk; Cask Republic in SoNo, Stamford and New Haven; Geronimo of Fairfield and New Haven; Bobby Q’s Cue & Company of Norwalk; and Old Post Tavern of Fairfield, among others.
“Your taste buds will be dancing” says Keenan.
This people’s choice competition determines who has the best classic chili, creative chili, classic mac and creative mac n’ cheese as all who attend are given a spoon, ballot and pencil when they arrive.
Attendees will rate each entry on a scale from 7 to 10.5, Keenan said, and the restaurants with the highest rating average in their category will be declared this year’s champion.
“I love how seriously everyone takes this event” said Keenan. “First, they grab a complimentary coffee or tea from the New England Coffee Company or Harney & Sons, then discuss their strategy about whether they start their day with chili or a mac n’ cheese.”
The event is being sponsored by: The Farmer’s Cow; New England Coffee Company; Hummel Brothers; Cabot Creamery; Connecticut Cookie Company; New England Confectionery Company; Acadia brand water; WEBE 108; Clover; Lowe’s; Harney & Son Tea; and City Carting & Recycling.
For further information visit: http://www.MacAndChiliChallenge.com.
