Longboat Fire smokes competition in chili cook-off

By Dana Kampa
| 9:15 a.m. October 21, 2025

Trey Bowlin, Zach Schield, Tyler Brunton and Jamison Urch hoist the 25th Morton's Firehouse Chili Cook-Off trophy high as they take home first place for the Longboat Fire Rescue team.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Typically, where there's smoke, there's fire.

Longboat Fire Rescue was the one bringing the heat to the competition on Sunday as it smoked the competition at the 25th annual Morton’s Firehouse Chili Cook-Off.

First responders from throughout the area joined in a friendly culinary competition to support the Firefighters Benevolent Fund.

After securing the win, Firefighter/paramedic Zach Schield said, "Every year, our shifts give 110 percent. We really go out and we dig, and we try to find a recipe that we enjoy, that we love personally."

On Saturday afternoon, the team of about 10 cooks filled Station 92 with the smell of sizzling bacon, sweetly fragrant peppers and smoky brisket. The crew put in quite the effort to produce 30 gallons of chili the day before the competition.

Schield said it may sound like a lot, but that's typically just enough to feed the hungry crowd.

Their recipe included bell peppers, other sweet peppers, jalapeños and chipotle peppers. But they were careful not to go too hot with it.

They were optimistic about their chances for the 25th anniversary, given their record of placing in the top three multiple times over the years. But nothing is set in stone, especially considering they are willing to try out new recipes every time rather than simply relying on what's worked in the past.

Along with a new recipe, this year's team also included new members. Firefighter/paramedic Tyler Brunton, one of the department's newest recruits, lent a hand with the prep.

Together, they chopped enough onions, garlic and pepper to make an elephant cry. But combined with tomatoes, sausage and plenty of seasoning, they hit just the right blend to feed the masses.

On competition day, the firefighter crew turned into a scallawag crew to entice tasters to try out the chili and cast a vote in their favor.

Their swagger convinced the judges, landing them the top prize for the first time since 2018.

Schield concluded, "We’re always excited to compete in this competition every year, and we do the best we can. We try new recipes. This year, we tried a new one, and came out on top."

Longboat Fire Rescue's "Scallywag Chili" crew won first place in last weekend's 25th Morton's Firehouse Chili Cook-Off. From left, Tyler Brunton, Jamison Urch, Aaron Maness (back), Trey and Kristen Bowlin, and Daniel and Bryson Heath.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedic Zach Schield, who played a key role in formulating this year's chili recipe for the Morton's Cook-Off, preps brisket at the station on Oct. 18.

Longboat Fire Rescue firefighters/paramedics Tyler Brunton, right, and Andre Hoefer chop away as the team makes 30 gallons of chili ahead of competition day.

Through no small effort, the team at Longboat Fire Rescue Station 92 prepped plenty of aromatics for their award-winning chili recipe.

The day of the competition, 9-year-old Ellie Bowlin helped dish up portions of chili for Longboat's "Scallywag Chili" crew on Oct. 19 outside Morton's Gourmet Market.

Aaron Maness and Jamison Urch serve up chili with a smile at the 25th Morton's Firehouse Chili Cook-Off. The Longboat team took first place this year.

Longboat Key's first responders have placed in the top three many times over the years, but until this year, the last time they took first was in 2018. They returned to the top of the podium for the 25th annual celebration.

Reporter Ian Swaby contributed to this story.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.