During the week of Spring Break, the highly anticipated annual Fire & Ice Chili Challenge took place at the Goggin Ice Center. What commenced was a day of chili, camaraderie, fun, and food that contestants and attendees alike will be talking about for years to come . . . or at least for the coming year, until the next challenge!

This year marks the third annual challenge, with the first happening in 2019 between the Miami University Libraries and IT Services and the second branching out to include many more university departments last year in 2024 (after a short hiatus thanks to the global pandemic). Now, with even more hubbub and university-wide attention, this year’s challenge brought together new friends and old opponents, along with a new slate of celebrity judges.

University Advancement’s own Tim Jones served as emcee and hype man for the event, his second year running. His commentary served to keep everyone in the loop about what was happening in the judging room!

A yummy – and difficult! – challenge for five lucky eaters

The judges had their work cut out for them: Seven contestants from across the university had been chosen as representatives by their individual departments, and competition was fierce and fiery. In total, our five judges were: 

From right to left, the judges were:

• “The Enrollment Enchilada” Bethany Perkins (Assistant Vice President and Director of Admissions, Enrollment Management and Student Success)
• “SQL Spicelord” Dean Harris (Senior Database Administrator, IT Services)
• “The Scoville Scholar” BaShaun Smith (Associate Vice President and Dean of Students)
• “Red Hot” Jonathan Fox (Director of Communications and Publications, Myaamia Center)
• “The Spicy Scrutinizer” Terry Moore (Chief Audit Officer, Internal Audit and Consulting Services)

The contestants and the departments they represented were, in no particular order:

• EMSS: Blane Mynatt, Student Services Associate
• IT Services: Patrick Hawk, Information Security Analyst II
• University Libraries: John Millard, Associate Dean and Principal Librarian
• Housing, Dining, Recreation & Business Services: Rhett Butler, Marketing Account Manager
• University Advancement: David Hummel, Director of Digital Services
• Myaamia Center: Kara Strass, Director of Miami Tribe Relations
• Miami Dining: Chef Scott Rouse

The chilis were presented blindly without toppings to each judge in small two-ounce bowls, with the idea being that each offering should stand on its own (and so that the contestants were unknown). Some judges represented the ‘clean-plate club’ and ate all of each offering – some tasted only a few spoonfuls. Everyone wins in this circumstance – it was all amazing chili.

Without further ado…

The competition may have been fierce, but our judges knew how to bring it home. The winners were:

• Third place: Patrick Hawk, IT Services
• Second place: Rhett Butler, Housing, Dining, Recreation & Business Services
• First place: David Hummel, University Advancement

David Hummel with his first-place medal!

“It's always a great opportunity to be able to get to do something engaging like this at work,” said Butler. “It's also nice to be able to meet people from other areas on campus and talk with them. I'll take any opportunity that involves eating chili. I might have to rework my recipe for next year though!”

In addition to the main judging everyone who attended the competition was presented with a vote for People’s Choice! Anyone who attended could also bring in a chili to compete for these votes, to encourage folks to bring food and contribute to the potluck nature of the event. And, in the end, the winner for People’s Choice was Mike Bomholt from the Libraries!

“After years of watching my friends and colleagues covered in glory,” Bomholt said, “I decided to step into the ring and was rewarded with the ‘People’s Choice.’ I will strive to continue to carry out their mandate for tasty chili.”

Until next year!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the third annual Fire & Ice Chili Challenge. A special thank you to IT's very own Leah Harris for all her hard work in planning this event and bringing it to life! This was one of Leah’s favorite things to spearhead during her last few years at Miami, as she said at her retirement party a week prior to the challenge. “I’m quite proud of the chili challenge,” she said. As she should be!

We’ll keep Leah’s legacy growing with next year’s competition! Stay tuned for the fourth annual challenge in 2026!