Who had the best chili at this year’s Belleville Chili Cook-off? Here are the winners

Truman’s Best captured The People’s Choice Award for its chili served at the annual Belleville Chili Cook-off in downtown Belleville on Friday and Saturday.

It is a coveted award during the festival as cook-off attendees make the selection, with this year’s $4,500 in proceeds going to the Community Interfaith Food Pantry in Belleville.

Judges selected winners in competition for the best chili in two other categories, Food Service and Non-Food Service. The winners are:

Food service category:

1st Place: Copper Fire

2nd Place: Mi Hungry BBQ

3rd Place: Joe and Onie’s

Non Food Service category:

1st Place: Truman’s Best

2nd Place: St. Clair County FOP Lodge 148

3rd Place: Ehret Inc.

The Belleville Chili Cook-off is one of Belleville’s most popular festivals, with thousands of people attending. It is held annually around Public Square and along East Main Street in early October.

Mayor Patty Gregory noted the success of the cook-off and said community volunteers and sponsors are `’the backbone of all of these events in downtown Belleville.”

“It’s always wonderful when we have a beautiful day like this to celebrate in Belleville, Illinois,” the mayor told the crowd from the stage at the awards ceremony on Public Square on Saturday. “ It’s great celebrating community, which we have a fabulous volunteer base here that is able to put on all of these events that we have.”

This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 8:34 AM.