Donna Foley, a Texan who moved back to Houston after seven years in Chicago, won her first ICS event, the 2002 Texas State Championship. She brought her father, sisters, nieces and nephews into competition cooking; 2023 was her first time as a red chili finalist at the World Championship.
How they cook
Cubed tri-tip simmered in low-salt broths with a serrano, seasoned in two mixes of New Mexico powders and then Texas-style blends with cumin and garlic.