Clayton Chili Cook-off

The Infamous Clayton Club

Last Sunday, the girl and I took in the 6th annual Clayton Club Chili Cook-off in Clayton, California.

Acting as my photographer, the girl busied herself snapping photos for this story as I ambled about “the club,” chatting up some of the prettier contestants, and hungrily eying the 17 crock pots of bubbling chili.

My Trusty Photographer

I asked ”Steve”, the owner of the infamous Clayton Club about the judging criteria. ”It’s pretty much based on the opinions of the judges. There are no formal criteria.”

There are, however, a few rules:

Advanced registration is required – contest is limited to 25 contestants
Each contestant must pay a $15 registration fee
and most importantly, NO CANNED CHILIS ALLOWED!

Pretty simple, huh? The festivities are open to anyone who wants to show up, hang out, quaff a few, and sample the goods. Contestants vie for a 1st Place cash prize of $300, with $200 going to the 2nd Place winner and a C-note to 3rd Place. Not bad just for making a pot of chili and hanging out in a bar.

This year’s judging panel consisted of some of Clayton’s local talent, including, Clayton Pioneer co-owner, Bob Steiner, City Council members Julie Pierce and Howard Gellar, and Assistant City Manager Laura Hoffmeister.

Contestants are encouraged to bring a full crock pot of chili, so as to satisfy the chili lovin’ hoards who (after the winners have been announced) will descend upon said crock pots like a pack of Serengeti hyenas on a bloated zebra carcass. Corn bread and chili fixin’s were also available! Yum!

Hillbilly and Joe

This year’s 1st Place winner was Cal “Hillbilly” Campbell. A first time competitor, Hillbilly uses no beans in his chili – just a combination of ground beef and quartered meatballs. The spice combinations are always changing, based on the input of Hillbilly’s taste-testers, which I took to mean his beer and chili sponging friends.

$200 went to Second Place winner, Mark McCullah, and a third place tie saw $100 awarded to both Joe Johnson and John Barger. Everyone else just got gas, but we had a good time.