Owasso Cook Wins Again at State Chili Cook-Off
PRYOR – Owasso chili champion Mike Mayenschein racked up another victory taking first place in the salsa competition at Saturday’s International Chili Society Oklahoma Championship Chili Cook-off in Pryor.
This year, Mayenschein placed second in red chili and third in the chili verde competition, which he won last year in Pryor. As runner-up in salsa, Mayenschein will represent Oklahoma at the 2017 ICS World Chili Championship in Reno, NV if green chili winner Kelly Walker of Marshall, TX, is unable to go to the World Cook-off.
“It was a beautiful day for a cook-off in Pryor,” said ChiliJohn Fenrich of Owasso who served as Chief Judge and cook-off organizer. “We had cooks from Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and as far away as Virginia. It was definitely the cream of the chili cooking crop.”
The chili cook from Roanoak, Virginia was Bryan Alcorn, who placed third in the red chii competition.
Other winners included Larry Walton of Robinson, TX, second place salsa; Mack Walker of Marshall, TX, second place chili verde; Cliff Dugan of Dennison, TX, fourth place red chili; and Bob Alexander of Tulsa, fifth place red chili.
The ICS state championship cook-off was part of an all day 2016 Pryor Christmas Chili Festival which also featured a Chili Appreciation Society International chili cook-off, a car show, vendors, food trucks, live on-stage entertainment, a life-size walk-in snow globe and, of course, Santa Claus.
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SALSA COMPETITION CHAMPION – ChiliJohn Fenrich, seated, congratulates Owasso’s Mike Mayenschein on his victory in the 2016 International Chili Society Oklahoma Championship Chili Cook-Off salsa competition.
OWASSO COOK COMPETES FOR STATE TITLE – Owasso chili chef Mike Mayenschein mans his chili booth “2nd Wind Chili” Saturday in downtown Pryor. The cook-off was part of the annual Pryor ChiliChristmas Festival.
