guide
What CookoffList Is and Isn't
A short, plain explanation of why this directory exists, what we cover, and what we won't do.
CookoffList is a free, unified directory for competitive cooking events across the United States — BBQ, chili, steak, wings, and beans.
Why we built it
Most existing cook-off directories are single-category: BBQ-only, chili-only, one sanctioning body’s calendar. That’s useful if you compete in exactly one discipline with exactly one sanction. The actual scene is messier. Combined events are common. A single fairground weekend often hosts an LSBS BBQ contest alongside a CASI chili cook-off, with a wing category bolted on for spectators. Cooks who compete in BBQ in summer often switch to chili in winter.
No directory currently puts those events in one place. So we built one.
What we cover
- BBQ — KCBS, IBCA, LSBS, MBN, FBA, CBA, and the regional bodies.
- Chili — CASI and ICS sanctioned plus open events.
- Steak — SCA primarily, plus steak categories at multi-body events.
- Wings — standalone wing festivals plus wing categories at BBQ events.
- Beans — usually a sub-category at chili or BBQ events; we list them either way.
What’s coming
- Per-state and per-category browse pages with editorial intros for every state.
- A weekly newsletter — short, plain, the weekend’s cook-off lineup.
- Promoter profiles you can claim and edit yourself.
- iCal feeds per category, per state, per sanction.
What we won’t do
- No paywalls on the directory. The event list stays free.
- No display-ad networks, no third-party trackers.
- No selling email addresses.
- No fake-urgency or affiliate sludge in event descriptions.
If something here is wrong, email us and we’ll fix it.