EU – Baltic States, Foodstuff, Latvia, Markets and Companies, USA

Annual Chili Cook-Off has become a traditional autumn event where AmCham members and friends compete for the title of the “Best Chili in Riga” and special Chile Pepper Award. The judges, who included Toni Vanhanen, Ieva Keviešena, Brian Phipps and Larry Molacek, decided to award this title to Exigen’s Sunny Chili this year.

2nd place was awarded to Albert team for Bestseller Chili and 3rd place went to the Seesam team for their Sesamex Chili. In addition to Jury Awards, the public decided to award Albert team with People’s Choice Award.

Winners received generous prizes from Albert Hotel, Grand Palace Hotel, Jurmala Spa Hotel, Santa Maria and Tequila Olmeca. Special prizes from Darphin Paris and Phytomer were handed out to Inga Petersone and Aigars Freimanis for the most attractive outfit.

Eight teams participated in this year’s Cook-Off:

- Albert Hotel team with Bestseller chili

- CanCham team with Mountie chili with Latvian touch

- CSR team with Socially responsible chili

- Dome Hotel & Spa with Chili Le Dome

- Grzenda’s team with Chili Chori

- Exigen team with Sunny Chili
- Rogers’ team with Jerry’s mild pepper light brigade chili

- Seesam team with Sesamex chili

A charity raffle to benefit the Care Mobile of RMHC Latvija was held during the event. Raffle prizes were generously provided by Amber Spa Boutique Hotel, Denvers Baltika, Embassy of Canada, Hotel Bergs, Ilze Jurkāne, Jaunais Rigas Teatris, Latvian Army, Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel and Zener.

Chili is an integral part of the Wild West. It was a staple of the cowboys’ diet on long cattle drives across the big country of the old West. Large pots of meat, beans, onions, tomatoes and chili peppers were slow cooked over open campfires at day’s end while cowboys, tired from a day of riding, stretched out under the stars and traded stories, laughed and sang. 

The American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia was founded in March 1993 and currently is the leading  Chamber in Latvia representing more than 120 member companies who are committed to strengthening trade relations between the U.S., Latvia and the EU. For additional information about the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, please refer to www.amcham.lv.