Ring the fire alarm! This Bronx firehouse chili is the best in the borough.
SUNY Maritime College’s fifth annual FDNY Chili Cook Off brought a large crowd during the Maritime Privateer’s home football game on Saturday, Oct. 26, eager to dig into some bowls of chili with individual firehouse recipes – some of them closely held secrets.
Some recipes called for HOT ingredients that only the Bravest souls would care to sample.
Bringing out their recipes to compete in this year’s cook off were firefighters from Engine 79/Ladder 37 firehouse on Briggs Avenue; Engine 50/Ladder 19 firehouse on Washington Avenue; Engine 90/Ladder 41 firehouse on White Plains Road, and Engine 75/Ladder 33 firehouse on Jerome Avenue.
A favorite neighborhood fall event, the competition (but not the meat in the chili) was tough as always.
But it was the red hot firehouse chili cooked up by the chefs of Engine 79/Ladder 37 that took home the glory.
SUNY Maritime College president, Admiral Wendi Carpenter, presented the firefighters there with the award during halftime.
Chili fans were shocked that this was the first time in several years that returning winner Engine 64 failed to capture the title, much less even compete.
“Fans know that this is their chance to taste the very best firehouse chili in the Bronx,” said SUNY Maritime football head coach Clayton-Kendrick Holmes. “It’s great to see so many of our friends and neighbors each year at the game and sampling the best Bronx chili in town, made by New York’s Bravest.”
In addition to the FDNY Chili Cookoff, it was also SUNY Maritime Youth Appreciation Day at the Maritime home football game against Husson College.
State Senator Jeff Klein was on hand to meet with youth group organizers and kids from the Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation; the Boy Scouts, Sea Scouts as well as seven area high schools that had a chance to see the college and enjoy the game and chili cookoff.
Kirsten Sanchez can be reach via e-mail at ksanchez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3394
