Since COVID-19, Brentwood has been slowly bringing back traditions lost during those months and months of quarantines, social distancing, and masks. One of those well-known traditions, organized by the National Honors Society (NHS) for the first time (it used to be held by the middle school PTO), is the chili cook-off.
After a five-year hiatus, the chili cook-off returns this Thursday, March 14. Volunteers will bring their chili to what we know as “The Cave” (aka the back room in the cafeteria) and chili tasting will commence from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM!
The police and fire department will also be there, helping serve chili and run various games for the event. All proceeds from this event will be donated not only to the St. Louis Diaper Bank, which “strives to make a health, social and economic impact by not only providing diapers and period supplies but by connecting them to these resources and other resources through our partner agencies,” but also Duo Dogs, a “national not-for-profit organization that trains and connects dogs with people to cultivate positive change in individuals, families, and communities.”
Back in the day, if you lived in Brentwood, you probably knew about this event. The buzz it created was so big that I knew about it even though I attended a private school way before coming to Brentwood. That being said, this year is no different, as the community started to stir as soon as the cook-off was announced.
Since then, many previous winners have been excited to come back and defend their titles. Mary Favazza, the mother of Brentwood senior Amelia Favazza, won the chili cook-off in 2015 and is coming back to defend her title. “I don’t really remember her winning,” says Amelia Favazza. “But we still have the spoon that she won from it.”
It’s not just the community that is excited about this. Many students at the high school are excited to enter for the first time, as many were not around to enjoy the tradition. Ethan Corwin, a Brentwood senior, is also entering the competition. As a cooking enthusiast, Corwin says, “I thought it would be a fun way to get [service] hours for NHS and to fundraise for the school.”
The Foods II class is going to be making chili to enter into the competition! Ms. Biever, the FACS teacher, is allowing students to use class time to experiment with different recipes before picking one to enter into the competition.
To volunteer to bring chili, email the National Honors Society faculty sponsor Brian Swearingin at [email protected] with your name, the type of chili (vegetarian welcome!), and the spice level 1-3 (1 being mild and 3 being spicy.)
This major event brings the Brentwood community together for a good cause, so show up, try some chili, and help us raise money! Also, bring cash, it’s a cash-only event!
