Chilympiad
Encyclopedia
The Chilympiad, a Texas
tradition held annually in the second week of September since 1970, may be described as the Olympic
s of chili cooking. It originated in San Marcos, Texas
at Aquarena Springs
, but in 1974 was relocated to its permanent headquarters at the Hays County
Civic Center, also in San Marcos. Winners of this contest automatically qualify for the world championship cookoff, taking place in Terlingua, Texas
.
The rules are few and simple, being no more than:
In response to the second rule, another cookoff was established in Luckenbach, Texas
named "Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned," in which the winners similarly qualify for the world championship cookoff.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
tradition held annually in the second week of September since 1970, may be described as the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
s of chili cooking. It originated in San Marcos, Texas
San Marcos, Texas
San Marcos is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and is the seat of Hays County. Located within the metropolitan area, the city is located on the Interstate 35 corridor—between Austin and San Antonio....
at Aquarena Springs
Aquarena Springs
Aquarena Center is an educational center in San Marcos, Texas dedicated to the preservation of the unique archeological and biological resources of Spring Lake. It is managed on behalf of Texas State University–San Marcos by the Texas River Systems Institute located in the Texas Rivers Center...
, but in 1974 was relocated to its permanent headquarters at the Hays County
Hays County, Texas
Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....
Civic Center, also in San Marcos. Winners of this contest automatically qualify for the world championship cookoff, taking place in Terlingua, Texas
Terlingua, Texas
Terlingua is a mining district in southwestern Brewster County, Texas, United States. It is located near the Rio Grande and the Texas villages of Lajitas and Study Butte, Texas,as well as the Mexican village of Santa Elena. The discovery of cinnabar, from which the metal mercury is extracted, in...
.
The rules are few and simple, being no more than:
- All chili must be made from scratch at the site of the contest.
- Women are barred from entering the contest as chefChefA chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
s.
In response to the second rule, another cookoff was established in Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
named "Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned," in which the winners similarly qualify for the world championship cookoff.