Ten years ago Matt Timms started cooking chili in his Brooklyn apartment, inviting friends over for chili parties. Who could have imagined that ”America’s most important food competition” would grow from such humble beginnings?
Since then, Matt has been taking his themed amateur cook-offs around the country, drawing crowds of 200 each time, with awards for juidge’s favorite and people’s choice. Now there’s a Takedown for everything: fondue, cookies, even avocados. Bacon is huge, but chili still reigns supreme. So after all these years, his recipe must surely be the best, right?
How did the Takedowns happen?
I was making chili for myself, because I was starving in my apartment. So I’d make a ton of it, and it only gets better in the fridge. Then I joined the International Chili Society (ICS), and started making chili for my friends, for cook-offs. And then it just got big.
After all the chili recipes you’ve tried, is yours the best?
No, mine is never the best! I mean, I do have my own recipes that I’m passionate about, but especially now that I’ve done all these Takedowns and tried so many, they just blow my head off. I had a pineapple chili awhile ago, which was amazing.