On Sunday, September 25, first responders and culinary experts will converge on the Home EXPO to compete for South Valley’s Best BBQ Ribs & Chili – with the proceeds going to support local food banks.

 

The cook-off starts at 8 a.m. in the kitchen, and then moves center stage to the tents located on the grass area in front of the Convention Center entrance. Public sampling will commence from (approximately) 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

     

 

Three teams of first responders – Reedley and Visalia Fire Departments, and AMR Visalia – will meet again to see who can prepare the best chili, and three local chefs, Karl Merten of Café 225 (Visalia), George Quilty of Orange Blossom Junction (Exeter) and one of the Culinary Chefs at the Institute of Technology (Fresno) – will compete for top honors for barbecued ribs. 

 

This year’s panel of judges will also include Jessica Peres, local reporter at ABC30, and Alison Moore, Operational Food & Beverage Manager at Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort. 

 

With the help of local Visalia Veteran organizations, show organizers plan to sell 100 tickets to the public - for a donation of $10 each – which includes free admission to the home show, sampling and voting rights, and a chance to win prizes including a bucket of Crazy Cajun Hot Sauces, a basket of Bravo Farms Cheeses, or a gift certificate to one of the participating restaurants. To purchase tickets, please contact BCMcNabb@aol.com.

 

All proceeds from ticket sales will be directed to local food banks. And thanks goes to Morris Levin & Son Hardware (Tulare) for the use of their Traeger Wood Pellet Grills.