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With the Super Bowl set for Sunday, football fever reached downtown Redwood City on Friday, where more than 200 people gathered for a People’s Choice chili tasting and fan celebration at the Chan Zuckerberg Community Space.
On Friday, Feb. 6, the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation (RWCPAF), in partnership with the NFL Alumni Association of Northern California, hosted its inaugural People’s Choice Chili Tasting and Football Fan Celebration, drawing chili connoisseurs from across the community.
RWCPAF first issued a call to community members in late 2025 through its newsletter and social media channels, inviting hobby chefs to cook their favorite chili recipes and submit them for judging by a panel of restaurant and community leaders.
“We were just looking for a way to celebrate,” said Pamela Estes, executive director of RWCPAF. “When we started planning it, we were hoping the 49ers would be in the Super Bowl. But regardless, it’s fun to be able to host it. There are so many events happening in San Francisco, but nothing happening locally.”
On Jan. 27, the judging panel — which included representatives from Redwood Grill, Vesta, Mazra, LV Mar and Ghostwood Kitchen, along with Redwood City Mayor Elmer Martinez Saballos — selected five chili recipes created by Redwood City residents, ranging from spicy, meat-forward dishes to a fragrant vegan option.
Representing the vegan selection were team members Rajeev, Hamsa, Shakthi and Sanah Ayyar of Ayyar’s Kitchen. Rajeev Ayyar said he was pleased to see the cook-off invitation because it included a vegan category.
“Without a separate category, vegan chili doesn’t stand a chance against beef chili in a contest,” Ayyar said.
His team’s meatless recipe uses a blend of spices, including coriander, cumin, dried mango, black pepper, turmeric, clove, star anise, fennel and cardamom, to create a distinct Indian-inspired flavor.
Former food blogger Renee Hirschberg said she was encouraged to enter because of the competition’s friendly and accessible nature, noting that many chili cook-offs require specialized and often expensive outdoor cooking equipment.
“Chili’s been one of my mainstays for as long as I can remember,” Hirschberg said. “I’ve always cooked, and I’ve always wanted to enter a chili contest. It was something that was doable for me.”
After the finalists were selected, their recipes were submitted to five local restaurants — Redwood Grill, Vesta, Mazra, LV Mar, and Ghostwood Kitchen — whose chefs partnered with the recipe creators to prepare the dishes for the People’s Choice tasting.
Hirschberg was paired with Chef Manuel Martinez of LV Mar, who prepared her recipe featuring chili peppers, unsweetened cocoa powder and a fruity, hoppy beer.
In addition to the chili showdown, the football celebration featured displays honoring 49ers and Raiders Hall of Famers, as well as a silent auction of sports memorabilia benefiting RWCPAF, the NFL Alumni Association and the Domini Hoskins Black History Museum.
Finalists received gift cards from participating restaurants, ranging from $100 for fifth place to $500 for first place.
While Estes said she considers all of the finalists winners, the People’s Choice top honor went to Hirschberg. The remaining finalists were Red (wood) Hot Chili Peppers — team members John Avila and Andy Swanson — Christian Cuevas, Cortez Culinary Creations, represented by siblings Steve, Trina, and Ventura Cortez, and Ayyar’s Kitchen.
