Thirty-three cooks, including seven former world champions plus the current world champion, entered one of the toughest fields in the 8th annual Carson City Invitational Chili Cookoff on Saturday.
Taking first place in the prestigious cookoff was Jim Beaty from Fillmore, Calif.
"This is a great honor to beat a field like this," said Beaty, who won the world championship in 1986. "This was a tough cookoff to win. This was my first time cooking in the Carson City Invitational and I'll be back next year to defend my title."
Beaty, 56, has been competing in chili cookoffs for 17 years.
Carson City's Dr. Ed Pierczynski, also known as Dr. Chili, took second place in the cookoff.
"I'm a little surprised I got second place," said Dr. Chili, a former world champion in 1992. "I know how hard it is to come in the money in this cookoff."
Last year's Carson City Invitational champion J.R. Knudsen finished third place in the event that drew cooks from as far away as Illinois and Missouri. Carson City's Danny Murphy was chief judge for the cookoff.
The cookoff took place at the Franktown Road home of Dr. Pierczynski and his wife Mary. Entertainment was provided by the Comstock Cowboys from Virginia City.
The next chili cookoff in Northern Nevada is the Nevada State Championships on June 17 at Harrah's Reno.