2013 World Open Chili Champion
Ray Bogart

The testament to a true champion lies in his ability to skillfully maneuver his way through obstacles and come out ahead of the competition. Ray Bogart had never before competed with bison as an ingredient, much less a main ingredient. But Bogart pulled it off so well, he used it to his advantage in the subsequent rounds of the competition, landing him the 2013 World Open Chili Champion title and fifth-place overall.

At the ripe young age of 61, Bogart has now been cooking competitive chili for eight years, amounting to approximately 200 chili cook-offs from coast to coast. Bogart’s training is exclusive to the “school of hard knocks on the chili competition trail” where he has learned the value of note taking and immediately getting back in the game despite the sometimes less-than-desired outcomes.

Bogart’s first dish, Hacienda Red, was a traditional red chili using beef tri-tip, tomato sauce, onions, beef broth, California chili powder, New Mexico chili powder, papilla powder, and Texas cumin.

Bogart’s turn-in for the Freestyle Chili, Hog Heaven Green, was largely inspired by the products available in the US Foods™ pantry.

“With the products provided, you could easily cook a red chili or a green chili – your choice,” said Bogart. “My inspiration for the chili I chose was the green bell peppers, beans, chicken broth and jalapenos all provided in the US Foods pantry.”  

The World Open Chili Championship Finals round required bison be infused and highlighted in each recipe. The Bison Council provided various cuts of bison and the chiliheads were off.  With numerous cuts from Tri-Tip to Sirloin available for choosing, Bogart opted to use a traditional classic: ground bison. Weighing the available cook time and ground bison's proportionate leanness, Bogart made a strategic decision that helped land him on top. After browning the bison, Bogart mixed in a bit of sausage to bolster the overall flavor of the dish.

“I used my normal spice combination [as I do] for the traditional red chili and it paired beautifully with the bison. It propelled me in points and I won the overall chili competition. I did so well with the bison-infused chili that I also used it during the Final Table competition.”

For each of his turn-ins, Bogart cooked his chili over a Camp Chef two-burner stove. The versatile Camp Chef stove allowed him to keep the heat low, and provided a good simmer for the chili.

A resident of Boulder City, Nev., Bogart competed at the World Food Championships alongside of his wife, Mary, who is also a competitive chili cook.

In addition to taking the World Open Chili Champion title and the $10,000 check, Bogart notes the highlight of the competition was the opportunity to cook alongside the six other category champions.

Bogart earned his entry based on his top ten category placement in the 2012 World Food Championships.