My Recap of the 2024 Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff and Winterfest Kickoff
My second year of all-you-can-eat chili, in addition to some spectacular entertainment value was the story once again. Last year was my first time attending this event that I always wanted to take part in, and like this year, I had an awesome time—maybe more so in the 2024 version. I will discuss why this was true and more, including the winners: People’s Choice, Judges Choice, and, of course, my own favorites.
I had this day marked on the calendar for a reason. I requested the day off work, not taking a chance on my typical early day work schedule. Nope, this is an occasion worthy of my time, and by gosh, I didn’t want to miss it. I mean, I don’t actually eat chili often, but when I do, I enjoy it quite a bit. This gives me an opportunity to taste the different varieties the participating contestants think is the best they can do. And again, they didn’t disappoint.
Kicking it off, I made a note to have a pregame celebration. Being that, for me, it’s a special occasion, I trekked down the Parkway to Smoky Mountain Brewery for my go-to beer from them, the Helles German light lager, before walking the short distance to the Shade Tree parking lot by the Convention Center on Airport Road.
After waiting in line for about five minutes, I showed them my proof I had paid the $25 admission fee online, received a wristband and spoon, then was ready to sample the savory pots of chili.
Like last year, the showing was strong, but not so crowded that you had to wait any time at all to sample the hot stuff. Right off the bat, I saw familiar faces and people who, at the very least, make a side gig out of making YouTube videos. I’m not going to name them all, but I did get to meet a few for the first time, including Ryan from Adventure is Out There, and Natasha from NatashaVentures, both YouTubers who do a great job of presenting this area in a favorable light. I am honored to play a small role in this group that influences tourism, which in turn, helps the good people of the community put food on the table and thrive.
The chili itself was every bit as good as last year. There were some familiar places in the competition as well as a few new entries. Fat Boy Food Truck, Sunliner Diner, and Sugar Baby made up the newbies this year, with the latter being a new business. But they didn’t make chili. They were the clear dessert champion with their Banana Pudding and Mini Pancakes combo. Delicious and sweet! Thankfully, it was a very small serving, but large in substance and taste.
Brisket Chili seemed to be the ingredient of choice in this year’s contest for a handful of makers: Ober Mountain and Holston’s were a few putting the popular breast meat—common in Texas as a smoked barbecue staple—in their chili. Holston’s had a very tomato-y base that didn’t quite hit with my preferred spicy palate, but it wasn’t bad by any metric. Ober Mountain, on the other hand, had a delicious balance of flavors that I guess was enhanced by the addition of Popcorn Sutton moonshine—although I wouldn’t have known had they not mentioned it.
The entertainment of the evening was TopHouse band, a lively Americana/Folk band, now based in Nashville. They sounded good, but I have to admit, I didn’t really focus too much on them, except for maybe a minute in between chili stops and writing notes for this very article.
As far as the winners, I feel people have their groups they support, and they always put their chips in for them year after year. And that’s perfectly fine. It’s not a knock on their chili, or what they do; it’s just a difference of how I treat the competition. I voted for the chili itself. So before I ruffle a few feathers, here are my favorites and why I voted for them.
3rd Place: Hillbilly Cooking Adventures
I remember they had really good chili last year, and I felt this was a worthy admission in 2024 as well. It had heat, flavor, and a savory smoked chicken that was undeniable in both cups I tried from them (Yes, I had to re-taste who I thought had the best). They have a YouTube channel, instead of the traditional website, and they make some consistently fantastic chili.
2nd Place: Ober Mountain
This was just good, thick, flavorful chili that got better with every bite. The brisket in their chili was my favorite, and I just think it worked for me overall. The spiciness, the kick, and the mix of flavors was a delight. But the winner did one better.
1st Place: Loco Burro
The noisiest, liveliest booth in the Chili Cookoff also had the best chili, in my humble opinion. Why? Well, once you got past the donkey mascot and the excitement, what they made was something amazing. This is a win for the Kennedy Concepts Restaurant group. Puckers, who is under the same umbrella, used to be a favorite, but they technically weren’t a part of this competition. Their sister restaurant, Loco Burro, made a spicy, meaty, and extraordinary chili. I think what won it for me was Wagyu Beef and Filet Mignon pieces. The funny thing about that is, I didn’t learn what those ingredients were until watching videos of the Chili Cookoff the next day. A clear winner for me!
Honorable Mentions:
My first honorable mention goes to Sunliner Diner, the hottest chili I tried. And by hot, I mean temperature. Tasty chili that was a tongue and mouth burner—kind of how I like my coffee. Other competitors that deserve some love were WVLT, the Gatlinburg Police and Fire Departments, Anakeesta, Margaritaville, and Ole Smoky. All of them had chili I would be more than happy to eat for a meal on any cold weather day. All told, there were 15 I tried on this 35th Chili Cookoff, and there was not a bad one in the bunch.
Here are the other results from the competition:
People’s Choice
3rd Place: Margaritaville; 2nd Place: Gatlinburg Fire Deparment; 1st Place: Gatlinburg Police Department.
Judges Choice
3rd Place: Ole Smoky; 2nd Place: Fat Bear Tavern; 1st Place: Anakeesta.
The capper of the evening always features the official lighting ceremony of the more than a million lights that adorn the beautiful mountain tourist town of Gatlinburg. After ambling out of the parking lot venue, full of good chili, I was immediately lifted up, spiritually, by the lights. If last year could’ve been considered a fluke because it was our first time seeing it come alive as residents, this year’s mood put aside any such notion. It makes me love this little city even more. I encourage you all to come see this for yourselves, if you haven’t already. It’s a feeling you’ll keep with you even after you leave. Luckily for me, I can see this every day, and I realize just how lucky I am. Life is good.
Thank you for reading my recap of the 2024 Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff and Winter Magic Kickoff. Of course, I also appreciate your subscription, whether it’s free or paid, I hope it helps keep you informed and educated on what’s going on in Gatlinburg, from my perspective. As always, please stay tuned for all the latest events, tips, and personal experiences from yours truly in our new home.