Chili Cook-Off Aids Homeless

More than 1,000 professionals in downtown Los Angeles paid to eat 200 gallons of chili that 20 businesses paid to cook Friday in the first Chili Cook-Off Kickoff for Downtown Dollar Days, a fund-raising effort to aid the homeless.

Attorney Glenn A. Sonnenberg said his group of downtown professionals raised nearly $20,000 in 1987 and $50,000 last year--without the chili. Given the success of the cook-off, which netted about $15,000, he hopes to hit the $100,000 mark with this year’s campaign. Several hundred thousand envelopes soliciting $1 to $5 or more will be placed on downtown workers’ desks next week.

The people’s choice chili--based on a poll of diners--was the spicy blend from the Lillick & McHose law firm, from the recipe of in-house contest winner Barbara Lauden. The firm’s chili was rated second-best, but was said to be served with the “best spirit.”

Best chili, according to the judges, was cooked by Maguire Thomas Partners, which revealed that its secret ingredient was Red Man Chew tobacco.

Adding a touch of class to the Bonaventure Hotel pool-deck event were Metropolitan Structures’ tuxedoed and black-Stetsoned executives serving “Black Tie Chili” from champagne glasses.