Plans For North Fork Chili Cook-Off Heat Up

PECONIC, NY — The 5th Annual North Fork Chili Cook-Off is set to delight soon, with a top slate of local restaurants and esteemed chefs on tap to participate in the fun.

The event takes place on Sunday, Feb. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. at Greenport Harbor Brewing Co., located at 42155 Main Road in Peconic.

This year’s participants include First & South, Little Creek Oysters, Green Hill Kitchen, Alpina, Lucharitos, Little Fish, Ellen’s on Front, Crazy Beans and Windamere.

Members of Greenport Harbor Brewery’s staff will be competing against each other with their own recipes, as well.

In addition, the brewery team has created two new beers for the event: The Hot Sauce is an IPA conditioned with various hot peppers and fresh squeezed lime juice to spice up the competition. Soundings 1 Smoky Helles is bright, toasty and crisp, with a touch of smoky character — and brewed with an eye toward Bamburg, Germany. The beer is #1 in a new limited release series that charts the course of the brewery's explorations and has a 4.9 percent ABV.

Judges for the event include Chef Paul Eschbach, a Michelin star chef with 20-plus years of professional culinary experience. Currently, he is the executive chef at the Topping Rose House and writer of Marvel’s T.E.S.T. Kitchen Comic.

Chef Sarah Mastracco is an Emmy and James Beard-nominated producer for food television’s most loved talents such as Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, Snoop Dog, and more.

Chef Lihn Trieu is the former chef/owner of the beloved Wednesday’s Table Cafe in Southold. Prior to her time at Wednesday's Table, she worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City..

Chef Ursula XVII is a passionate chocolatier who launched Disset Chocolate on the North Fork with the desire to bring “farm to bonbon” to life.

Chef Julien Shapiro is a butcher, baker and sausage maker at 8 Hands Farm in Cutchogue. He is a well-known charcuterie master and former chef at upscale restaurants in France and in the U.S.

Tickets available here. $20 plus fees includes entry and unlimited samplings of chili.