Photos: NYC's Chilifest 2012

One of the most anticipated events on a New York “chili head’s” calendar is the annual Chilifest at Chelsea Market, hosted by Dickson’s Farmstand Meats and The Cleaver Company. Some of New York’s best restaurants, not generally known for serving chili, compete in a giant chili cook off, with dry-aged local beef provided by Wrighteous Organics.

Barbara Sibley from La Palapa in the East Village took home this year’s Golden Chili Mug, with a more than respectable pot of chili that we definitely dubbed the hottest. But that might be because we asked for extra habanero on ours.

We wandered the 800-foot long chili concourse to sample the action, drink some beer and ask the restaurants for their secret stratagem for winning the title. Roberta’s served up a pot of one of our favorites where the Bushwick pizzeria put their oven to good use. They roasted poblanos, jalapenos, serranos and anaheims at over 1,000 degrees. Delicious burn! Fette Sau sent a crew who looked like they might cut us with a giant pot of smoky, spicy goodness – they smoked their own meat, of course.

Gramercy Tavern was in the house and they took that Wrighteous Organic beef and added more meat, including some tongue. It was hands down the meatiest of the bunch. Shanna Pacifico rejoined her Back Forty team and added some pork belly to her beef, the woman knows her way around a pig. And hot dog experts from Bark in Park Slope took their chili dog chili and jazzed it up with extra poblano and house-pickled jalapenos. We were skeptical, but it totally worked. Check out all the action below:

Photos: NYC's Chilifest 2012

Chris Ronis from Northern Spy Food Co., last year's winning restaurant

Dave Schuttenberg of Dickson's Farmstand Meats serving up chili

Barbara Sibley and her team from La Palapa, winner of this year's Golden Chili Mug

Gramercy Tavern with one of the evening's meatiest chilis

Northern Spy Food Co. switched up last year's winning recipe (and did not win)

Tough guys from Fette Sau. Their secret was smoked meat and a lot of chilies.

Sarah Jenkins and her team from Porsena

Lauren Hirschberg, Chef de Cuisine at Craftbar

Shanna Pacifico. She's heading to Peter Hoffman's new restaurant in the old Savoy space on Prince St. Cannot wait.

The Roberta's crew.  They roasted poblanos, anaheims and jalapenos in a 1,000 degree oven

Enjoying chili at Chilifest 2012

The Brooklyn Star team

Beer Table's secret was, wait for it... beer. And a sprinkling of Fritos.

The kids from Park Slope's Bark Dogs. They jazzed up their chili with lots of poblanos and house-pickled jalapenos.

 

 

Ralf Kuettel and his team from Trestle on Tenth served a deconstructed chili with lovely fresh tasting herbs

Vinegar Hill House had a great pot of "mean red"

Shanna Pacifico and her crew from Back Forty served a beefy chili with chunks of pork belly

Enjoying chili at Chilifest 2012

 

"Out of Chili.  Sorry! — Fette Sau"

 

 

Jake Dickson from Dickson's Farmstand Meats (right) samples Gramercy Tavern's meaty chili

 

Noah Bernamoff of Mile End with his crew including his wife, Rachel Cohen

 

Winner Barbara Sibley of La Palapa with the guy who provided the meat, Martin Tessarzik of Wrigteous Organics!

More Galleries

Check Out These 8 Realistic-Looking Photos Of Food Chopped In Half

25 Killer Side Dishes For Memorial Day Weekend

17 Burger Recipes For This Big Grilling Weekend

11 Extreme Diets That Will Help You Lose Weight, Possibly Kill You

10 Cocktails For Drinking Outside This Memorial Day Weekend

Our 12 Most Popular Stories This Week