He enjoys experimenting with exotic meats, such as alligator, ostrich and rattlesnake.
This year, he was inspired by Latin flavors and put chorizo and cow tongue in his chili.
Christensen’s unique choice of meat stood out compared with the traditional beef cuts most competitors used for their chili recipes.
The Glendale Elks puts on the chili cook-off to raise money for children with disabilities, event coordinator Jerry Nelson said. Each contestant had to pay $20 to enter the cook-off and set up their own cooking stations.
Gary Smestad and his wife, Mina, have won three chili competitions, but the biggest draw for them is the fun.
“This is the best part — everybody being together,” he said.
Santa Ana resident Lee Tully owned his own bar and restaurant several years ago. He uses his restaurant’s recipe at cook-offs.
Tully’s secret ingredient is V-8 juice, which he said adds a whole new dimension of flavor.
Burbank resident Tomar Peltier Thomas got the idea for his chili by reading recipes from other chili cook-off champions.
His chili focuses more on flavor than spice.
“It’s not about being hot — it’s got to be pleasant on the palate,” he said. “It’s got to taste good on your lips, and it’s got to taste good in your gullet when it goes down.”
A chili recipe gets better with practice, said Peltier Thomas, who wore a chili-pepper necklace for good luck.
He started cooking chili and participating in cook-offs in 2003.
“It’s something to do on the weekends,” he said. “It’s better than staying at home and watching the boob tube. You get out there and meet a lot of people.”
Cook Christine Trecartin borrowed a chili recipe from Chasen’s Restaurant, which was in Beverly Hills before closing.
But Trecartin put a twist on the recipe to make it her own. She used buffalo meat instead of ground beef and put in a bottle of Mexican beer.
