Photos (credit) – The Chili Cookoff competition has been a Fishtown staple from 2010 to 2018, with a revitalization last year, and has been held at various sites around the neighborhood. This year’s cookoff took place on Nov. 8.
Resident competitors joined in the mix and mustered up the “gumption” to enter the 2025 Chili Cookoff.
For the non-cooks, it garners admiration from Fishtown Neighbors Association (FNA) Events Chair Brittany Coleman.
“People are really creative during this process,” she offers, “and for the non-cooks to share their family dishes with the community, and be put on a stage to be judged by the entire community takes a lot of gumption.
“I admire the bravery and commitment to share their culinary pursuits with everyone.”
The Chili Cookoff kicked off the local fall and winter events hosted through the Fishtown Neighbors Association (FNA) for an appreciative community.
The competition has been a Fishtown staple from 2010 to 2018, with a revitalization last year, and has been held at various sites around the neighborhood.
The mission of the nonprofit FNA is to connect Fishtown neighbors, preserve Fishtown’s unique character, and honor the community’s shared vision for its future. Registered community organizations like FNA are in need of young and involved voices. As always, proceeds from the Chili Cook-Off tickets support FNA activities.
This year the event on Saturday, Nov. 8, was sponsored by the generosity of the Penn Treaty Special Services District (PTSSD), a private nonprofit foundation, and Star|Bolt Restaurant on Front Street, which was the site of the Chili Cook-Off. The event took place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and attracted a large, engaged crowd.
For those who have never attended this type of comfort food event, a cook-off is a cooking competition where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors (such as restaurants) with very similar dishes, and serve as a way to decide which recipe is the best for that particular dish.
There were 10 competitors vying for the best in three categories: People’s Choice, Best Restaurant Chili, and Best Resident Chili.
In the end, the winners were Team Pigeon with their Bee Sting Beef and Beans Chili for People’s Choice, International Bar for Best Restaurant, and Team Cat Downs with their Autumn Sweater Chili for Best Resident Chili.
Among the fun and creative names were Chili Eilish, Netflix and Chili and Sweater Chili, in which the host of the chili made the crackers in the shape of a sweater.
The event attracted families, groups of friends of all ages, and a good mix of people from around the community,” Coleman said.
As a lifelong Girl Scout, she sees the FNA as a way to get grounded in the community and learn about “this wonderful new place” that she moved to.
Coleman, a lifelong Girl Scout, said that as adults, “most of us get wrapped up in our careers and responsibilities.”
“Fishtown is unique in many ways,” she explained. “It is about the diversity in the food, the arts scene, unique culture; a collective of people who have moved to this neighborhood, melding with longtime residents, and how we all come together to create this family-oriented neighborhood is like no other place I’ve ever seen.”
Coleman encourages everyone to attend upcoming FNA events, including the 2026 Chili Cook-Off.
“This is a great way to kick off the season,” she said. “For a lot of our neighbors, this was the first event through the FNA. It is a great way to see the ideas that people come up with. I feel it is about sharing what is in their own hearts and pulling everyone into their own homes.”
Fishtown Neighbors Association is an all-volunteer organization that hosts dozens of community events, activities, and public meetings in the neighborhood each year, and this all runs based on the hard work of fellow neighbors donating their free time and spare dollars for the betterment of the community, Coleman said.
FNA President Ashlei Tracy joined the nonprofit a few years ago after moving from South Philly to Fishtown in 2020. It was a way to connect with residents, she said, especially those interested in supporting their community.
“The competition at the Chili Cook-Off is nothing short of a chili-induced party complete with live music and neighborly camaraderie,” Tracy said. “If you are brave enough to try a stranger’s food, the chili is the best part of this fun event.
“I have not had a bad one, yet.”
All Fishtown residents and business owners are welcome to join the FNA. Whether someone is new to the neighborhood or a lifelong resident, the FNA welcomes participation. All FNA meetings are free and open to the public, which are typically held at the Fishtown Recreation Center.
In addition to the Chili Cook-Off, local events include Meet the Neighbors, Music in the Park, and the Fishtown Spring Sidewalk Sale. For more information visit www.fishtown.org.
