Bringing the Heat

The early morning of Saturday, March 7, will find the Main Street parking lot looking more like a professional kitchen than a stretch of downtown. At 6 a.m., while most of Alexander City is still asleep, local cook teams will be unloading heavy cast-iron pots and propane burners at the site of the old City Hall.

The early start is a necessity, not a choice. For those competing in the fifth annual Chili and Gumbo Cook-Off, there are no shortcuts allowed. Every drop of gumbo and every bowl of chili must be prepared on site, a grueling process that turns a parking lot into a community-wide kitchen for hours.