"Four steps to chili immortality:
• Build the right team. We offered some neighbors the opportunity to spend a Saturday among local lawyers. Who can turn that down?
• Avoid risk. Find a team member who has already won a chili cook-off. Twice.
• Be original. We offered cornbread with our chili.
• Celebrate responsibly. Three out of four isn’t bad."
Frank Morreale
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
aka Cornbread: 2013 best overall
***
"Winning in the best cornbread category really comes down to three main things:
First, make sure you have a good ole’ southern recipe where the main ingredient is, of course, butter.
Second, make sure you have plenty of butter to garnish. And last but certainly not least, make sure you have a 9-months along, very emotionally and ornery pregnant lady threatening anyone who tastes said cornbread with tears if they don’t vote for her."
Lindsay L. Tygart
Edwards & Ragatz, P.A.: 2015 best cornbread
***
"Find a crock pot.
Find a recipe.
Perfect the recipe.
Add more meat."
Steve Graber
Fidelity National Title Group: 2015 meatiest chili
***
"In 2013, I poured myself into our team’s chili — literally. But our venison chili only placed in the spiciest category.
In 2014, I decided to save my hide and we went with a traditional turkey-based Texas chili — no beans and lots of spices that simmered for many hours.
Winning first place made me feel like a million bucks! A picture of the first place trophy is mounted on the wall — right next to me."
Tanner N. Bishop, “head” partner
Tanner Bishop: 2014 best overall
***
"Like any competition, the key to dominating the Chili Cook-Off is to practice, practice, practice. Team Akerman has been busy training its chefs for almost an entire year to defend our championship.
A second key for our team is to not allow me to actually assist in any of the preparation of the chili."
Christian George
Akerman LLP: 2015 best overall