Springfield man punches ticket to World Championship Chili Cook-off on fair's last day
Les Eastep of Springfield said Sunday at the Illinois State Fair Chili Cookoff that he was hanging it up as far as competitive cooking. But by virt...
Les Eastep of Springfield said Sunday at the Illinois State Fair Chili Cookoff that he was hanging it up as far as competitive cooking. But by virtue of his first-place finish in the homestyle category on the final day of the fair, Eastep, 86, was guaranteed a spot in the World Championship Chili Cook-off in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 2024. Eastep, who has been involved in chili cookoffs for over 40 years, has made the world championships 16 times with one top 10 finish, in 2019. "It gets to the point where you don't have the energy to stand over a stove for six or seven hours," Eastep said.