White Takes Top Honor In Chili Cookoff

By Editor | November 20, 2025 |

WATER VALLEY — With 33 pots of chili lined up in the Pocket Park, this year’s Rotary Club Chili Cook-Off served up one of its strongest showings yet — and a first-time champion.
Linda White, who has entered the competition faithfully for the last decade “just to make sure Rotary has enough chili to sell,” walked away with first place and her first-ever win in any cooking contest. “I don’t always put beans in it,” White laughed, “but at the last minute I threw those beans in there.” More than 100 bowls of chili were sold to the public during the day.

The chili cook-off was held alongside the Chamber’s Holiday Open House, helping draw a heavy crowd downtown. The turnout was strong enough that Larson’s Cash Saver had a run on chili powder and seasoning mixes in the days before the contest. “This is the first year I had to use a different brand — they were out of my favorites,” White said. “Maybe that made the difference.”

White donated her $100 first-place prize to Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum and his family, who lost their home and all their possessions in a house fire earlier this year. All proceeds from the chili sales were also donated to the Mangrum family.

Taking second place this year was Amy Olson, cooking alongside her husband, Eric. Amy has taken first place in a past contest, and this marked the couple’s fourth year to enter. “We made this chili a little bit different,” Amy said. “Eric and I both just kind of made this chili. We actually put beans in it this year, which is a Texas no-no. But the Mississippi people have spoken, and they like beans in their chili.” Eric added with a grin, “I just threw some stuff in the pot.” When asked if they could recreate the recipe next year, he shrugged: “I don’t know.”

Mary Isaacs earned third place, and she is also a past winner. Judges for this year’s contest were Eddie Rogers, Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch, and Herald Editor David Howell.

Asked about her winning pot, White said she never expected it. “I never thought it was anything special,” she said. “I just put it in the pot and hoped for the best.