The championship team. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Spicy competition

Watch: Northern Lights Casino crowned chili cook-off champion

Feb 12, 2025 | 5:00 PM

After a long simmering hiatus, the chili cook-off made a triumphant return to the Prince Albert Winter Festival.

With a unanimous vote from the celebrity judges, Northern Lights Casino was crowned the 2025 champion and even came with a shiny trophy. Rhonda Badger, one of the cooks, told paNOW it was a team effort.

“We all got together, we had coffee and we talked about what we were gonna put in it,” she said.

Coming in second was the First Nations University and Pattison Media took home the Peoples’ choice award.

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Members of the Prince Albert Fire Department submitted a special chicken chili and while reviews were good, they unfortunately went home without a ribbon.

“I think a lot of people found it a little bit too spicy. We had a little bit of heat in there,” they joked. “It’s a fire department chili, it’s gotta be hot.”

Winter Festival President Bev Erickson was pleased with the turnout and the support from the community.

“We look forward to have a bigger better one next year. The committee is already started planning,” she said, adding a special thank you to Northern Lights Casino for the bannock and chili, and Pattison Media for the extra chili.

The Project kept the crowd entertained. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Blue Sky: @nigelmaxwell.bsky.social