Chili Bio

• While living in California, I attended a few chili cookoffs as a spectator. I then decided to try my hand at competition chili. Got hooked on competing after winning Best Rookie Cook in 1990 and went on to compete in several cookoffs in California, Nevada and Arizona.
• A move to Texas in 1991 gave me the chance to compete in Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. Won the Mississippi State Championship in 1992, qualifying me for my first shot in the World Championship Chili Cookoff.
  

• Another move, this time to New York, gave me the opportunity to compete in the Northeast. Qualified for the World Championships in ’94 (Saratoga), ’95 (New York State), and ’96 (Vermont). My win in the New Jersey State Championship in 1997 sent me to the WCCC for the fifth time. Competing with over 100 cooks from around the world, I was fortunate to take home $25,000 and the Bronze Pot as World Champion!
• As a World Champion, I have traveled to various cookoffs around the US to represent the International Chili Society and to judge. While continuing to compete, I was asked to be Chief Judge at other cookoffs, most notably New Jersey State.
• Chief Judge at New Jersey State since 2001 and Massachusetts State since 2002.
• Competed in Salsa and Chili Verde for several years and was a Hat Trick winner in 2002 and 2005.
• Awarded Grand Master Chili Cook status in 2005 for competing in the World Championship 11 times.
• In 2006, all of my efforts were directed to chairing the New York State and Hudson Valley Regional Cookoffs and being Chief Judge at 7 cookoffs in the Northeast.