Duke's, Beyond Meat Share Malibu Chili Cook Off Title (Photos)

MALIBU, CA — Duke's Malibu and Beyond Meat took home first place titles after a long Malibu weekend full of chili, games, live music and carnival rides.

The annual Malibu Chili Cook Off wrapped up Monday evening after three hot days of community fun. The tradition benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu and draws in over 25,000 guests every year.

Of seven contenders, local joint Duke's Malibu won both the people's choice and classic chili awards, while Beyond Meat took the vegan title.

For Duke's Malibu Restaurant Manager Addison Arquette, taking first place and winning the People's Choice Award was awesome.

"We've been in Malibu for over 26 years and that's such a big part of Malibu culture. We've kind of been through everything here, like the fires. ... Malibu is a really small, tight-knit community. It's a place where everyone knows your name, everyone knows each other," Arquette said. "Coming to the cook off you see so many familiar faces and it's a big part of who we are."

Duke's served vegan and meat chilis inspired by Hawaiian flavors. Much like the Malibu restaurant, Arquette wanted to bring a piece of Hawaiian culture to the cook off. The meat option incorporated kalua pork and chorizo, while the vegan option used jackfruit as a meat substitute, Arquette said. Both recipes were topped with a yuzu crema, tortilla chips and Tajin spices.

"[We tried] incorporating things that were also indicative of Hawaii and what we have in terms of our food," Arquette said. "It's kind of cool because chili a big part of Hawaiian culture as well, like Hawaiian plate lunches and things that are pretty common there."

Duke's has competed in the cook off three times before, and most recently took third place in the vegan category. This year was Duke's first first-place win, but the most important part of the cook off is giving back to the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, Arquette said.

"Everyone did a really great job. It's cool after COVID and everything to see everybody come back and for Malibu to be so strong again — this is awesome. This is what it's all about," Arquette said.

Other contenders included: The Green Truck, Beyond Meat, UMG Chili Preppers, Spanky's Catering, Mestico and Stoner's House Farm.

The fun on Saturday was briefly interrupted when a kid created false alarm by yelling that there was a gun, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Lost Hills Station. Officers on scene investigated and found there was no gun and no threat to public safety, authorities said.

The station did not take a report on the incident and will not conduct any followup investigation, authorities said.

The cook off showcased a number of businesses and shops like Aviator Nation, Malibu Sandals and jewelry shops.

Beyond chili tasting, attendees took rides on the Ferris wheel overlooking the Malibu coastline, carnival rides like the Zipper, got palm readings and played classic carnival games. The event included other food options like a pizza truck, beignet truck and fair food like corndogs and cotton candy.

As usual, the fair drew in celebrity guests like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Lana Del Rey, Amanda Bynes and some of the Kardashian kids, according to TMZ.