Nothing elicits a sense of pride at fire stations across the country quite like a firehouse kitchen that produces quality eats, especially chili. That's why the makers of HORMEL® Chili are working to highlight the underappreciated cooking talents of firefighters everywhere, while also giving firehouses across the country a chance to win $10,000.

Teaming up with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), the makers of HORMEL® Chili will conduct the "America's Best Firehouse Chili Contest" to discover the best firehouse chili recipe in America. The brand officially kicked off their partnership with the NFFF at the Fire Department Instructor's Conference (FDIC) on April 24, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The FDIC is a six-day conference, full of workshops, seminars, competitions, networking, and more.

"The makers of HORMEL® Chili are proud to work with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation because they not only do so much for active firefighters, but also work continuously to honor fallen firefighters and their families," said Mark Beierle, HORMEL® Chili brand manager. Our company has great respect for the NFFF and help raise money nationwide for the families of these fallen heroes."

The contest will take place over three months, where firefighters will be encouraged to submit their best chili recipe to http://www.Hormel.com/firehousechili for judging. Host of the cooking show "Firehouse Kitchen" and retired NYC firefighter, Ray Cooney, will be judging initial entries and narrowing the field down to the top 10. From there, consumers will be allowed to vote on their favorite recipes through the contest web site to determine the three finalists. Those finalists will be flown to New York City to compete in a live chili cook-off for a chance to win $10,000 for their station. Judging of recipes will be based on originality, potential of flavor (flavor profile) and inspiration behind each recipe submission.

"The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is very excited about this opportunity to partner with the makers of HORMEL® Chili on this fun and dynamic event," said Chief Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director of the NFFF. "We are also grateful for Hormel Food's generous support of the Foundation and the fire service, as well as their commitment to heightening awareness about our mission to a broader audience."

To conclude the competition, the makers of HORMEL® Chili will be presenting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation with a donation of $20,000. The grand prize-winning station will receive $10,000, as well as chili to stock their kitchen. Second and third place winners will each receive $2,500 for their station, along with chili for their kitchens, as well.

About Hormel Foods – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ 
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin's^®, Wholly Guacamole^®, Hormel^®Bla