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1st Annual44 East Chili Cook-Off

Zoo
Chili

Six wild meats in one pot. Not a single bite of beef.

Made by Jon Zinsmeyer

44 East Ave Building
No Beef · Ever

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What's swimming in it

The Zoo

Every animal below went in the pot. None of them were a cow.

Elk, deer, bison, ostrich, kangaroo and boar in a giant bowl of chili above the Austin skyline
The whole zoo, one pot
Elk

Elk

Lean, clean and a little sweet. The backbone of the pot.

Venison deer

Venison

Deep and woodsy. Does the heavy lifting on flavor.

Pork

Pork

The fat and the richness. Keeps everything tender.

Bison

Bison

Big, beefy character — without any actual beef.

Kangaroo

Kangaroo

Dark, rich, faintly gamey. The one nobody guesses.

Ostrich

Ostrich

Surprisingly red, surprisingly tender. The wildcard.

Everything else

In the Pot

Built on aromatics, tomatoes and a long spice bloom.

Cast-iron pot of chili simmering over a flame
Low and slow until it's thick
Allergy note There are no nuts in the chili itself. Toppings are set out separately — check the table if you're avoiding something.

Build your own

How to Serve

Help yourself. Four steps, no wrong answers.

  1. Grab yourself a warm tortilla.
  2. Spoon the meat right on top.
  3. Pile on toppings — as many as you want.
  4. Fold it, eat it, come back for another.
Tortillas, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, cotija and hot sauce laid out
The toppings table

1st Annual · 44 East

Where It Goes Down

The 44 East lounge set up for the chili cook-off
The 44 East lounge, ready to go
The Zoo Chili bowl above the Austin skyline at sunset
Six wild meats, one bowl