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February 1, 2008

Williams wins first place at local CASI chili cook-off; raises money for charity

When ULM faculty member Corie G. Williams decided to raise money for charity, she opted to put her winning chili cooking skills to good use.

Williams, director of Educational Research and an instructor in the ULM College of Education and Human Development, won first place at the Hot Heads Chili Cook-off in Ruston Friday, Jan. 18, with proceeds benefiting the Jake Owen Raborn Foundation.

This sanctioned Chili Appreciation Society International, Inc. competition paves the way for Williams to enter the annual Terlingua International Chili Championship in Terlingua, Texas—always on the first Saturday in Nov. As Williams described it, “[It] is a very big deal in the world of chili cook-offs and an American tradition to say the least!”

This was Williams’ first entry. The Jan. 18 competition allowed Williams a victory over at least a dozen other competitors, including a former world title winner.

On Saturday, Feb. 2 in Minden, Williams will again compete for chili gold and simultaneously earn money for charity at the Louisiana State Championship 17th Annual St. Jude Chili Cook-off.

According to their Web site at www.chili.org, “CASI’s mission is to promote chili and raise money for charity. Each year, nearly ten thousand cooks share their chili fun and good deeds with each other, the public, and sponsors at 600 CASI cook-offs, throughout the U.S. and neighboring countries. These CASI-sanctioned events raise over a million dollars, annually.”

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