Get ready to spice things up!
The Exceptional Foundation’s largest annual event is the Chili Cook-Off, which was named Best Community Event by Mountain Brook Magazine and Best Annual Charity Event by About Town Magazine. All proceeds from the event – featuring live music, a kids’ zone, and all the chili you can eat – directly benefits our programs at The Exceptional Foundation.
The 20th Annual Chili Cook-Off was held on March 2, 2024 and raised over $520,000 for The Exceptional Foundation. 151 chili cook teams competed for our grand prizes, and more than 13,000 people attended.
20th Annual Chili Cook-Off
Winning Teams
Grand Prize Winner
Joyfully Hot (Shades Valley Lutheran Church)
First Runner-Up
Alabama Graphics Team #1
Second Runner-Up
HPM’s Chili Madness
People’s Choice
Sigma Chili (Samford Sigma Chi)
Sportsmanship
Ready Mix USA
First Place Spirit Award
KEYSYS
Second Place Spirit Award
Edgewood Blvd
Third Place Spirit Award
Chili Servers (Evolv I.T.)
Participant’s Choice
Spoons Up for Down Syndrome (Down Syndrome Alabama)
Congratulations to our award winners and our top teams in judging and People’s Choice voting!
A special thank you to
Our 2024 Sponsors
This year, we are partnering with Alabama Power’s Renew Our Rivers program, one of the nation’s largest river clean-up projects. Alabama Power has been part of The Exceptional Foundation’s Chili Cook-Off for many years, and we are grateful for their continued support.
VIP and Judges Sponsors
Kids’ Zone Sponsor
Tent Sponsor
Click the buttons below to view our 2024 sponsors!
Jalapeño Sponsors
Air Engineers, LLC
Altec Capital Services, LLC
Ardent Preschool & Daycare
Balch & Bingham LLP
BIG Steel
BL Harbert International
Blackjack Farms
Brasfield & Gorrie R5
Byars | Wright, Inc.
C Spire
Capstone Building Corp.
Cushman & Wakefield / EGS Commercial Real Estate
Doster Construction Company, Inc.
DSW
EBSCO Industries
Edgewood Blvd
Evonik Birmingham Laboratories
Fite Building Company
FIVE STAR LUMBER
GHT GROUP
Gobbler Springs Distillery
Goodwyn Mills Cawood
H2 Real Estate
Hargrove Engineers & Constructors
Harris Doyle Homes
Hoar Construction
HPM
Marathon Electrical Contractors LLC
Maxus
McGriff Insurance Services, LLC
Motivated Movers
Nelson Brothers
ONeal Medical / CPAP Plus
O'Neal Steel
Petra RMS
Porter Capital Corporation
RADERMcCARY, Inc.
Ready Mix USA
Red Diamond Coffee and Tea
Shaw Technology
Southeastern Sealcoating Inc
Southern Nuclear Company
Southern Sky Aviation
Spartan Invest
Starnes Davis Florie LLP
Stone Building Company
Superior Irrigation and Landscape Supply
SYNOVUS
TA Services
Tag Specialties, LLC
Talent Recruiting Partners
The Stewart/Perry Company, Inc.
Thompson Tractor Co., Inc
T-Mobile
Vaco LLC
Spicy Sponsors
AFS Foundation & Waterproofing Specialists
Amwins
Birmingham Legion FC
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee
Blake Smith State Farm
BLOX
Bryant Bank
Cadence Bank
Capstone Collegiate Communities
Capstone Development Partners
Carrigan's Philanthropub
CENTERLINE
CGI
Christian & Small
Command Alkon
CommerceOne Bank
Community Bank
Cook Medical
DDS SOLUTIONS
Down Syndrome Alabama
Encore Stone Studio
EPIC Insurance Brokers
Evolv I.T.
Forge Fitness
Guild Mortgage Co
Gusty Gulas Group
Harmony Venture Labs
Heninger Garrison Davis, LLC
Hollywood Feed
Homewood Community Church
Homewood Firefighters Association Local 1288
INFINITI OF BIRMINGHAM
Iron City Heating and Air, Inc
ITAC Solutions
Jay Industrial Repair
Jemison Metals
Keller Williams Hoover
KEYSYS
Kurt Adams State Farm
Little Pigs Roofing
Local 1295
LUCA
Maynard Nexsen
MJ Harris Construction Services LLC
Nextran Truck Centers
OHD
OS1 Orthopedic & Sports Injury Clinic
Payroll & Benefit Solutions, LLC
Poop Be Gone
Red Rock Realty Group
Rezult Group
RADERMcCARY, Inc.
River Bank and Trust
Rotaract Club of Birmingham
Rumberger Kirk
Ryan Goolsby - State Farm
Schoel
Seneca Resources
ServisFirst Bank
Shades Valley Lutheran Church
Shipt
Sigma Chili
Slice Pizza & Brewhouse
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits
Southpace Properties, Inc.
Spearhead Smart Home Solutions
Steel City Chili
Strong Automotive
The Birmingham Men's Law Firm
THE WELCH GROUP
Trussville Social
Urban Cookhouse
Velocity Risk Underwriters
Williford Orman Construction
YMCA of Greater Birmingham
the competition will be heated!
Meet the Judges
2024 Chili Cook-Off Judges
Adam Green, Pihakis Restaurant Group
Alan Rogers, Balch & Bingham
Alex Morton, First Horizon
Austin Virciglio, Piggly Wiggly
Benard Tamburello, Vecchia
Chandra Temple, City of Birmingham
Chip Bivins, University of Alabama SYSTEM
Chris Nanni, Community Foundation
Craft O'Neal, O'Neal Industries
Daniel Warren, Motion Industries
Danny Markstein, Markstein
David Carrigan, Carrigan's Philanthropub
David Germany, Protective Life
David Loper, Protective Life
Dickey Barlow, Mountain Brook City Schools
Don Marzella, Community Leader
Geno Pearson, Birmingham Mountain Radio
Grantland Rice, Cobbs Allen
Harmony Mendoza, The University of Alabama
Hayden Staples, SCA health
Houston Gillespy, crawford holding
Hunter Payne, Hunter's Cleaners
Jack Carney, Carney Law
Jan Rice, Canterbury of Crestline
Jim Dunaway, Next Round Live
JJ Bischoff, City of Homewood
John Bakkegard, Fresh Hospitality
John Baldwin, uab
John Day, De Vinci's
John Jordan, REGIONS BANK
John Michael Bodnar, Bodnar Investment Group
John Trawick, Southern Power
Jonathan Dunn, Community LEADER
Jonathan Porter, Alabama Power
Justin Brown, WDJC
JW Carpenter, Prosper
Lance Taylor, Next Round Live
Lauren Sisler, ESPN
Margaret Brooke, Cobbs Allen
Mark Ingram, UAB Athletics
Michael Turnbough, Raymond James
Mike McDonald, Buffalo Rock
Mike Thomas, Brasfield & Gorrie
Patrick McClusky, City of Homewood
Paul Demarco, Alabama house of representatives
Rob Conrad, Magic 96.5/iHeartMedia
Rod Sones, ProHealth Hoover
Roy Morton, Architectural Heritage
Sam Gaston, City of Mountain Brook
Sanna Jordan, COMMUNITY LEADER
Scott Myers, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Scott Register, Birmingham Mountain Radio
Vince Bruno, Lee Bruno Foundation
Will Haver, Otey's/Taco Mama
Will Lochamy, Birmingham Mountain Radio
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the Chili Cook-Off benefit?
The Chili Cook-Off is a family friendly event featuring live music, a kid zone, and all the chili you can eat. In 2023, more than 135 cook teams competed for the title of Chili Cook-Off Champion, and more than 11,500 people attended the event. All proceeds from the event directly benefit The Exceptional Foundation.
When and where is the Chili Cook-Off?
The Chili Cook-Off is held on the first Saturday of March each year.
How do I register a team?
Teams are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis for our Chili Cook-Off sponsors. There are three levels of sponsorship available for your company, organization, or team. We encourage both corporate and indiviudal sponsors to participate! If you want to be put on the list to be called when teams open up, please email Susan Garrett at sgarrett@exceptionalfoundation.org.
What if it rains?
Rain or shine, we are still on!
Where do I get tickets?
Tickets can be purchased on this webpage when they are available or at The Exceptional Foundation location prior to the event for a $15 donation per ticket. The day of the event, tickets can be bought at the entrance for a $15 donation per ticket. Children 12 and under enter free.
How are the winners selected?
Winners of the Grand Prize, First Runner-Up, Second Runner-Up, and Spirit Awards are selected by a panel of judges. The People's Choice Award is given to the team who gets the most votes by patrons at the event. The Spirit Award is given to the team with best tent decoration, costumes, etc., and is voted on by the judges and Exceptional Foundation participants.
How do I vote?
Scan the QR code on your favorite team's tent to vote electronically for People's Choice. Votes must be placed by 2 p.m. and each ticketholder is only eligible to vote once.
Donate to The Exceptional Foundation
At The Exceptional Foundation we are committed to enhancing the lives of all those with special needs, regardless of their financial means. Donations from individuals, corporations and grants fund ¾ of our operating costs. Caring for a loved one with special needs can be both rewarding and challenging. Your donation makes it possible for exceptional individuals to participate in our programs, benefitting our participants as well as their families and caregivers.
