 Meet Supreme Court Justice Dick Kapash
Dick is a retired business executive who, with his wife Edith, founded SOLA Optical in Petaluma in 1979. He is a director, treasurer and past president of the Cinnabar Theater board. Dick also serves as a member of his local homeowners association board and treasurer of Tomales Transit board. He has run numerous companies manufacturing and distributing lenses for both eyeglasses and contacts. Having spent much of his business life traveling internationally and taking pleasure in sampling food from all over the world, his palate is refined to the point where he is ready to lead the judging of the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off. Dick has led the judging for 7 of the past 8 years and is enthusiastic about returning this year! "I can't get enough of those fine Chili dishes, the recipes are always a refreshing surprise," says Dick “and the chili, salsa and beer keep getting better each year!”
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 Meet Judge David Glass
In David's words "It is my pleasure to serve as a judge of the Chili Cook-off. This will be a difficult task as I don't believe I have ever tasted an entry that I did not like. They start at really good and go to great. I tend to like it hot but as Harry Truman said if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.
“I love Cinnabar, Chili, and Salsa so this is not only a must do event but obviously one of my favorite days of the year. I want to thank Cinnabar for all of the work they do in our community with our youth, the school program, and the family entertainment they bring to our community. Every contestant is a winner simply by being here today.”
“I want to wish all of the contestant's good luck, and I truly am just glad to be able to help. I hope you will enjoy this event as much as I do” |
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 Meet Judge Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams worked with Petaluma’s Technology and Telecommunications Advisory Committee, and works with Rebuild Petaluma Together, Butter and Eggs, 501st Legion Golden Gate Garrison, 20-30 Club, and supports the Phoenix. He is working with Geneva Financial, LLC as a Senior Asset manager. Ryan is currently studying to become a Athletic Trainer Certified and a Physical Therapist. He will be attending San Francisco State and get his MA from USC. He enjoys traveling abroad, deep sea fishing, Sf Giants games, his Tampa Bay Buccaneer games. camping and bodybuilding. He also enjoys restoring and driving his classic 76 Bronco. Ryan loves cooking and has a few great chili recipes of his own. He has attended the Great Chili Cook Off the last four years, now twice as a judge, and it is one of his favorite events. “ I love the cook off; I enjoy the themes, costumes and most of all the chili; I love super hot chili…looking forward to the burn and seeing everyone there.. “ |
 Meet Judge Pamela Torliatt
Pamela Torliatt is a fourth generation Petaluman and has served the public for the last 18 years: from 1993 to 1996 as a Petaluma Planning Commissioner ten years as a Petaluma City Councilmember before being elected Mayor of Petaluma in 2006. Mayor Torliatt has been a judge for the annual Chili Cook Off for the past 4 years and loves EVERY MINUTE of it!
Pamela was born and raised in Petaluma and attended local public schools. In 1989, she graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. |
 Meet Judge Steve Jaxon
Steve Jaxon is currently the host of KSRO's "The Drive", Sonoma County's only live daily talk show featuring a mix of politics, comedy, and live music. Steve has been a voice on Sonoma Country radio for more than 20 years from his work on popular morning shows on KREO and KHTT, to the hundreds of commercials he has voiced and produced through his company Vicario Productions. He is also the host of a 2 hour weekly show: "Swingin' With Sinatra" that airs in the U.S. (including Santa Rosa), Canada and Europe. |
 Meet Judge Jason Jenkins
Jason Jenkins is the great, great, great nephew of Sonoma County’s, own, General Mariano Vallejo. Jenkins, a former swimsuit model and escargot farmer, is a Petaluma native and has some 36 first cousins in this county, alone – all of whom enjoy a good cup of chili. His wine bar and retail bottle shop, Vine and Barrel, is a centerpiece to the culinary district in the main, downtown area of historical Petaluma. Jenkins’ first love for chili stems back to his aunt Jessie’s amazing, truly Mexican bowl of searing, sweet beans. Jenkins’ contact with aliens, he maintains, has increased, both, the capacity and ability of his palate to distinguish and discern tastes and flavors in all their nuance as he seeks to find that one, very chili, that reigns supreme above all the rest. |
 Meet Judge Michael J
Michael J is 'the morning guy' on Country 106.3 KTRY and has been playing in the radio sandbox for 30 years now - the last 5 in Sonoma County, which he claims is "the best place on the planet!" Next to his love and support for theatre and the arts in general, MJ is a chili and salsa advocate and has often been quoted with the quip "Next to country music there is nothing that lifts the spirits and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili." |
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 Meet Judge Mike Harris
Mike Harris, Chairman Emeritus of the Young Professionals Network of Petaluma is the Senior Vice President of CrossCheck, Inc. (a National Payment Guarantee Company) and serves on the City Council for the City of Petaluma. Mike was elected to the City Council in 2002 as one of the youngest Councilmen ever elected in Petaluma. Mike was re-elected to the City Council in 2006 as the top vote getter and was re-elected in 2010 once again as the top vote getter. Mike served as the Vice Mayor of Petaluma in 2005 and has served on many boards and commissions. Mike has served on the Transit Advisory Committee for Petaluma (Chairman from 2009-2010), the Technology & Telecommunications Committee (Chairman from 2008-2009) and the Airport Commission to name a few. In 2010, Mike was honored as one of the top 40 business leaders under 40 years old by the North Bay Business Journal. |
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 Meet Judge Elece Hempel
Elece Hempel, Associate Executive Director of PPSC will be serving as a first year judge. Not much of a chef herself, her family often says “she may not really know how to cook, but she is great at ordering takeout”. Those who know Elece know that she has volunteered with many organizations, from her work at the Chamber of Commerce to Petaluma American Little League (PALL). Her work at PALL is where she sites as one of her of proudest moments , when JJ from the Argus named the PALL tri-trip sandwich the best Snack Bar dinner. She comes from a long line of great cooks – where she has been allowed to be the taster; including her mother who never served the same meal twice for dinner to Margie the chef at the Meals On Wheels Kitchen who can whip a pretty tasty chili for the seniors in Petaluma.
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 Meet Judge Chris Samson
Chris Samson is the managing editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier, Petaluma360.com and Petaluma magazine. He grew up in Palm Springs, Calif. and earned a bachelor’s degree in Language and Literary Studies at Prescott College in Prescott, Ariz. He began his journalism career at the Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs, and has also worked as a staff writer for the Tahoe Daily Tribune and the Sierra Sun, both at Lake Tahoe. A Petaluma resident for more than 30 years, he loves the town’s vibrant spirit, colorful history, quirky events and its caring, supportive and generous people. “Petaluma has a great music and arts scene, and the Cinnabar Theater is a big part of that,” he says. Chris was a judge in this year’s Butter & Egg Days Parade and this will be his first time as a judge at the Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff. When he isn’t editing the newspaper, Chris can be found playing music around town. He has recorded and released a CD of his original songs, titled “In My Own Time.” |
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 Meet Judge Pete White
Peter White is the Owner and Executive Chef of the Michelin recommended restaurant Sugo Trattoria in Petaluma. This is his third successful food establishment since he began over 13 years ago. The first being the legendary New York Subs on Petaluma Boulevard, followed by The Vine in Scottsdale, Arizona, which was named one of the 15 Best New Restaurants by Phoenix Magazine. He also spent 3 years as a general manager for the PF Changs and Paradise restaurant groups. In 2007 he happily settled back into Petaluma to operate his current venture, Sugo Trattoria.
Pete is passionate about handcrafting his own products; from an assortment of handmade cheeses to grain mustards and specialty salumi. He has a commitment to taking traditional dishes and revamping them, putting on a modern twist using quality products and techniques. His favorite Sugo meal is the house-brined, grilled Pork Chop with grain-mustard brussel sprouts and a glass of a 95 Sterling Reserve Cabernet. |
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 Meet Judge Geneva Anderson
Geneva is a free-lance journalist and publishes ARThound, a blog that covers art and culture with an emphasis on the Bay Area. She was raised on a small farm just up the road from Cinnabar Theater and worked as a journalist in Eastern Europe and the Balkans for several years where she tried many exotic foods as well as honed techniques for canning, curing, and distilling. She grows a lot of her own food and cooks "all the time." Heirloom tomatoes and squashes have a large spot in her garden and she loves to make salsa. "There's nothing better than salsa made from the freshest ingredients. "
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Meet Judge Joe Davis
