Brisket takes on steak; heat battles smoke; lots of ingredients spar with simplicity; and at the end of it all, only one chili dish will reign supreme.
The competition will be fierce Saturday, June 15, for this year’s Microbrew Fest and Chili Cookoff at Pechanga Resort Casino, as 14 chefs, including one from each of the resort’s restaurants, compete for the title of best chili maker.
Guests will get unlimited samples of the chili as well as unlimited samples of craft and small production beers from more than 40 different breweries from Southern California, the Midwest and East Coast.
The number of chili options has grown substantially since the event first got underway. Initially there were eight participating restaurants, but each year more restaurants have joined in, Executive Chef Duane Owen said. The most recent to join have been the Coveside Grill and the Lobby Bar — two restaurants that were part of Pechanga’s expansion in recent years.
This year’s event will take place at the Pechanga Summit events center and will again raise funds to support Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley, which serves Southwest Riverside County and has programs ranging from home building to home improvement projects for veterans. In addition to the chili and beer, there will also be a silent auction.
Owen said that each of the restaurant chefs must devise a concept and bring it to him for approval. Part of the reason is to make sure that no two restaurants are offering the same thing.
Visitors are given a voting card upon entry, and make their selection after trying the different chili options available. The cards are deposited in a locked barrel in the center of the room, according to resort spokeswoman Ciara Green. She said votes are tallied and the winner is announced at 4:30 p.m.
Some teams will try completely new recipes, while others will redo tried-and-true classics, in an attempt to dethrone chef Hunter Gonzalez of Pechanga’s banquets and catering department. Gonzalez and his team won the popular vote for his “Pork Four Ways” chili last year.
What seems to do the best during each competition? The classics, according to Owen.
“They’ve gone out there with some pretty elaborate chilis,” Owen said, noting that contestants have used proteins such as buffalo and alligator in previous years.
“Those don’t score well, so they’ve gone back to the more traditional chilis and that’s what people want,” he said.
Some of this year’s chili options include coffee smoked brisket chili from coffee bar Blends, steak chili with spicy tomatillo lime foam from Great Oak Steakhouse and chili with spicy Italian sausage and risotto cracker from Italian restaurant Paisano’s.
Some of the returning chili dishes are Temptation Hearty Southern Style Chili from Temptations Food Court, Western Style Texas Chili from Pechanga Café and last year’s champ, the Pork Four Ways chili.
Not a fan of chili? There are other options included as part of the tasting, too.
“The chili is what we’re voting on but we’re actually making it more of a total food event each year as well,” Owen said.
Some of the other food options include Flamin’ Hot Cheetos elote and watermelon, cucumber, Tajin and lime popsicles from the Lobby Bar; Portuguese sausage corn dogs from Coveside Grill; and blended coffee drinks from Blends.
Some of the breweries participating include Belching Beaver, Sierra Nevada, Stone, Refuge and Speakeasy Ales & Lagers.
Eric Bunge, community relations director for Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley, said his organization will have a booth set up so people can come and learn about its programs and what it does. He said the single event will go a long way toward the organization’s mission.
“Even though the funds support our entire program, the funds raised from this event would be the equivalent of about 10 to 12 home repairs annually,” he said.
Habitat for Humanity will also oversee the silent auction portion of the event.
“We have everything from small items all the way up to Africa trips and golf rounds and sports memorabilia,” Bunge said.
If you go
When: 1-5 p.m., Saturday, June 15
Where: Pechanga Resort & Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula
Tickets: $50 general admission; $65 VIP includes noon admission and upgraded glass; $40 for designated driver; 21 and older only
Information: 888-810-8871, pechanga.com