ICS Cook-Offs
We Know Chili. We Know Competition.
Since 1967, the International Chili Society (ICS) has been home to the original and most respected chili competitions in the world — including the annual World Championship Chili Cook-Off® (WCCC), where the best cooks earn the coveted title of World Champion and a share of $100,000 in prizes.
Want to compete? You’ll need to win an ICS-sanctioned cook-off to qualify for the WCCC. That means sharpening your skills, perfecting your recipe, and bringing your best chili to the table.
From small-town fundraisers to major festivals, ICS cook-offs are where chili lovers, fierce competitors, and passionate communities come together for flavor, fun, and bragging rights.
The World Championship Chili Cook-Off® (WCCC)
The WCCC is the pinnacle of competition chili. Each fall, hundreds of cooks from across the globe battle for top honors, big prizes, and the right to be called World Champion.
The WCCC is a multi-day public event packed with chili tastings, live music, craft vendors, family activities, and more. Whether you’re cooking or coming to eat, it’s the ultimate celebration of chili culture.
Competition Categories
Traditional Red Chili
Meat cooked with red chili peppers, spices, and other ingredients. No beans or fillers like rice or pasta allowed. Meat may be cut, ground, shredded, or cubed.
Homestyle Chili
Meat and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, spices, and other ingredients. Beans are required. Any color chili is accepted. Seafood is allowed.
Chili Verde
Meat cooked with green chili peppers, spices, and other ingredients. No fillers like rice or pasta allowed. Any meat style is permitted.
Vegetarian Chili
Any kind of vegetables or combination of vegetables, meatless"meat", cooked with chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients. The use of meat and/or any meat by-product is not allowed. It can be any color, and the consistency should be like chili, not soup-like. Beans are allowed.
Youth Division
Young cooks (ages 6–17) can compete in either Traditional Red or Homestyle categories, following the same rules. Parental supervision is required; parental participation is not.
Retired Category: Salsa
The Salsa category has been retired from ICS-sanctioned competition as of 2018.
Stay tuned — ICS is spicing things up with new categories launching in upcoming seasons!