4th Street Cook-Off Crowns Jersey City’s Chili Masters
By Michelle Weber • Feb 23rd, 2010 • Category: Blog, FoodMy stomach is still recovering from the 4th Street Arts Chili Cook-Off … it’s hard working being a judge. If yours isn’t, you either (1) didn’t eat enough (sad) or (2) missed out (even sadder).
Congrats are in order for organizers Marc Caterina and Sophie Penkrat, who also have a 2009 mac-and-cheese takedown under their belts. Parlay Studios on 2nd and Provost was packed to the gills with 10 or so restaurants and 12-plus individuals shilling the best chili they could muster.
Sam Adams donated the beer (a much-needed palate cleanser), while cancer awareness non-profit Mission: Remission sold their own spicy mix and Not Yo Mama’s Affair offered jalapeno cornbread, brownies and other non-chili treats. DJ Chuck Daly was on hand to bring the low-key 70s groove, because we all know nothing helps the chili and beer go down like a little Creedence.
Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop, the Star-Ledger’s Pete Genovese, the Jersey City Museum’s Brendan Carroll and I were given the gut-busting task of tasting all the offerings and choosing the best of the bunch.
The restaurants produced some good if not entirely original chili with some exceptions, while the individuals went above and beyond to create delicious and decidedly unique mixes. The day’s chili masters included:
- Chef Anthony Cinelli of Michael Anthony’s in the restaurant category (also the crowd favorite), with a fig- and espresso-inflected sauce
- Ryan Caldwell and his Newcastle-spiked chili in the individual category
- A pirate-clad Topher Silk as the individual category crowd favorite
We were also accorded the honor of handing out three Golden Spoons for best vegetarian (taken by restaurant Made With Love), spiciest (Topher Silk again, with his eight-animal meat mix) and most original (individual Tina Maneca and her tortilla-and cheese-cup presentation).
Take several hundred Jersey City-ites, some good music, beer, piles of ground meat, every kind of chile under the sun, beans, cheese, tortillas and even some quinoa, and you’ve got the recipe for an effing good time.
And be sure not to miss 4th Street’s Arts and Music Festival, the whole reason behind the chili carnage, coming this fall on October 2!
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Michelle Weber is a lapsed Catholic, lapsed vegetarian and lapsed lawyer, currently working in communications for the nonprofit sector and happily consuming bacon again. A highly experienced eater and Jersey City resident since 2001, she is the founder and editor of Thursday Night Smackdown, a food blog beloved by dozens.
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