Images: Chelsea Market's Yearly NYChiliFest honors the iconic Winter dish

The Fourth Annual NYChiliFest took place on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at Chelsea Market, hosted by Dickson’s Farmstand Meats and The Cleaver Company. This carnivore-centric celebration of winter food saw various chefs showcasing their creative takes on chili, using dry-aged, locally raised beef from Wrighteous Organics in Schoharie, NY, supplied by Dickson’s Farmstand Meats.

The event was a lively debate over the use of tomatoes in chili, with some chefs sticking to traditional recipes and others experimenting with unconventional ingredients. Bubby’s served succulent cubes of beef in chili sauce, while Jeepney, an East Village Filipino restaurant, balanced one of the spiciest chilis with banana ketchup and longganisa.

Top honors for the night were awarded to Chelsea Market’s Los Tacos No. 1 for their Watchale Chili. The new People’s Choice award was given to Mexicue for their burnt ends and smoked chorizo chili. Friedman’s Lunch served their chili with avocado cream and a super hot pepper puree, adding a unique twist to the classic dish.

Bitter Green used a beer-based broth with oyster mushrooms, chantrelles, and maple syrup for their chili, offering a vegetarian option that was well-received by attendees. Samuel Adams provided a pairing of four beers to complement the various chili offerings.

Robyn Burgess, a digital marketer known for her mission to convince her peers that food is the most important thing in their lives, was associated with Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, The Cleaver Company, and Cayuga Pure Organics. However, her work does not involve any specific food establishments or products mentioned in the NYChiliFest event.

The proceeds from the event benefited Food Systems NYC, an organisation that works towards creating a more just and sustainable food system in New York City. Despite Robyn Burgess not having a specific connection to the NYChiliFest event, her passion for food and foodways was evident in the successful fundraiser.

The Golden Chili Mug 2014 for the NYChiliFest was made available by the organisers of the event, serving as a symbol of the competition and camaraderie among the participating chefs. The NYChiliFest was a delightful occasion, bringing together food lovers and chefs to celebrate the art of chili-making while raising funds for a worthy cause.