Competition and community have never tasted better than when served from a crockpot of beans, meat, rice, and cheese. Friday’s lunch saw faculty members face off in a chili-making competition, with students sampling creations from nine contestants, then casting votes for their favorite recipe.
The event, dubbed a “Chili-Off” by host and history teacher Clark Thomson, was held in the Stokes Hall Courtyard. The space was filled with an eager line of Upper School students, sunshine from perfectly-timed nice weather, and the vibrant aromas of spices wafting from nine crackpots.
History Department Chair Mary Anne Henderson and Administrative Assistant to the Head of School and Associate Head of School/Academic Dean Missy Mead serve their chili. Photo by Aashi Reddy ’26.
Inspired by a similar annual tradition at his previous teaching job, Thomson was responsible for both introducing the idea and organizing the event: “[At my old job], we were coming up to the Super Bowl, and we decided, why not, on Super Bowl Sunday, [to] do [a chili competition]. And then this year I was just thinking about that, remembering that, and I thought, ‘What the heck, why don’t we do that here too?’”
History Teacher Clark Thomson hosted the “Chili-Off,” collecting money from students day-of. Photo by Livia Kam ’26.
For some contestants, such as science teacher Laura Slocum, the opportunity to serve their chili to the student body meant sharing years of tradition: “When I lived in Indiana when I was near my family, I made it a lot. Now that I’m here, I don’t make it that much.”
Other veteran chili-makers sought to win by taking culinary liberties with their chili. Science teacher Drew Newman, for example, was inspired by the prevalent Ethiopian and Latin American influence of his hometown of Washington, D.C. when making his dish.
For other contestants, the experience was simply an introduction to the world of chili-making. Middle and Upper School History teacher Josh Weinstein referred to himself as a “first-time chili maker.” From this perspective, Weinstein said, “ [I feel] a little bit intimidated, yet a little optimistic. I made [chili] last week to practice.”
Middle and Upper School History teacher Josh Weinstein serves a sampling of his chili to students. Photo by Aashi Reddy ’26.
Newcomers and veterans alike took creative approaches to their chili, particularly with their names. Erick Cotter named his chili “Subaru Chili” after losing some to spillage in his Subaru. Front Desk Coordinator Valerie Johnson’s “Winter White Chili” got its name from its unique white coloring. Zemaitis even went so far as to refer to his chili as “Quaker Chili.” Zemaitis included the five Quaker Spices as one of his ingredients, an ode to his area of expertise.
Chester Reagan Chair Dan Zemaitis poses for a picture. Zemaitis wore both a chili-printed apron and a cowboy hat in honor of the big day. Zemaitis also extended his creative liberties to a poster featuring both an edited picture of his face as well as a description of how each of the five Quaker spices was featured in his chili. Photos by Aashi Reddy ’26 (left) and Charlotte Nesevich ’25 (right).
After sampling all nine chilies, students cast votes for their favorite chili. Thomson announced via email on Sunday afternoon that Zematis and History Department Chair Mary Anne Henderson had tied for first place. The two winners split 48 percent of the vote.
