2025 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest Chili Cook-off Rules
Note: Some rules recently changed!
Sign up
Contestant sign up and registration may be done ahead of time. Please sign up online at the BearLakeMonsterWinterfest.com website. Registrations may also be turned in before 10:30 am on the day of the contest.
Set Up and Tear Down Information
- Contestants may begin setting up their booths/tables on Saturday, after 9:30am. The contest area will be designated and marked prior to the event. Prior to 10:30 am, vendors may park their vehicle close to the cooking area in order to unload their equipment, but must then park in a designated parking stall immediately after unloading to help avoid congestion in the contest area.
- Chili cooks must provide their own display tents/canopies, chairs, tables, etc. Bear Lake Monster Winterfest will provide the tasting/sampling cups. Your tent/canopy must be anchored with adequate weight or a method to secure it in the event of high winds. Please create a visually pleasing booth area, with good signage and a trash receptacle.
- Chili cooks typically run out of chili before the end of the event. We kindly request that you do not tear down your booth/table until the judging has officially ended. Winners will be announced before the monster plunge event.
Chili Cooking Rules
- Chili Cooking Equipment. Cooks are expected to provide their own propane cook stoves, serving utensils, pot, fire extinguishers, etc. There is little to no electricity available. Each cook is expected to utilize safe and clean stoves, pots, utensils and other equipment. Event organizers reserve the right to disqualify any contestant for food or equipment safety reasons if deemed necessary. Food service gloves will be provided for contestants.
- Chili Preparation. Chili may be prepared in advance or at the event, but should be kept warm in a healthy and safe manner.
- Ingredients. Any and all ingredients that are safe to be consumed are permitted.
- Cooks Must Be Willing To Taste Their Own Chili. If requested to do so by a judge or event organizer, a contestant must taste their own chili. Within reason, failure to do so may result in disqualification. It is also requested that your chili be labeled as to its heat for the public’s benefit.
- One Chili Per Entry. Each head cook is responsible for serving a sufficient amount of chili that he/she intends to be judged and turning in one cup from that pot. No more than one judging sample may be taken from any one pot.
Cooks are asked to prepare three gallons or more of chili for the event.
- Cooks Must Sign Number Slips. Chili cooks will be assigned a random, anonymous number in order to keep each chili cook confidential.
- Filling Cups. Judging cups will be filled to 3/4 full prior to being turned in to the judges.
- Judging rules. A complete set of judging rules will be given to the judges on the morning of the event. A single score will be computed for each entry, with consideration given to the five criteria for scoring chili. These criteria are Aroma, Color, Consistency, Texture, and Taste. NOTE: Heat is not a grading scale factor!
- Penalties. Failure to comply with event rules is subject to disqualification of that entry. The decision of the officials is final. In the event of a disqualification, the official monitoring the event must immediately notify the head cook and give a reason for disqualification.
Public’s Choice award
There will be a Public’s Choice Award for the best chili which the public can sample. This will be determined by the amount of tips in a blacked-out tip jar or donated through Venmo to the event charity. The tip jars will be provided to each contestant at the beginning of the contest. It’s simple, the chili cook with the most tips at the end of the contest will be declared the winner and the tips will be donated to the charitable organization that is being spotlighted this year.
Any questions can be directed to:
events@bearlakechamber.com
