Bread Head Named Chili Cook-Off Champ at Culture Brewing
Feb 02, 2026 09:46PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
(Bread Head's Sam Kuhr shows off the championship belt from Culture Brewing's chili cook-off.)
At a chili cook-off hosted by Culture Brewing on Sunday, top local chefs showed off their chili skills, with Bread Head ultimately winning the popular vote and taking home the title.
The Bread Head chili was a Colorado-style chili, without beans. What was the secret ingredient that put Bread Head's chili on top? Bread Head's Sam Kuhr answered with one word: "Love."
Bread Head's competition included chili from MB Post, Simmzy's, Grunions, Love & Salt, and a homemade chili from Culture Brewing. (Grunions noted that they have been making their chili using the same recipe since 1974.)
The sold-out event drew more than 200 people for a taste of the chilis and pints of specialty beers. All told, the event raised nearly $4,000 for the Mira Costa High School Ceramics Program. "A total success," declared Kelly Oelschlager, general manager of Culture Brewing.
(The Culture Brewing team)The idea for the event took shape last year when Culture Brewing held an informal chili cook-off
among staff and regulars. "It was so fun and got us thinking we should
actually do this," said Oelschlager. She started reaching out to neighboring restaurants and friends in the
community and gathered enough interest to put on a full-fledged event. Organizers say they hope to make the event an annual tradition.
See more photos from the event below.
Culture Brewing Chili Cook-Off 2026 [9 Images]
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