The Kleefeld Honey Festival's Chili Cook Off is upping the ante this year.

The cook off will be a Preferred Qualifying Event for the 2015 Canadian Food Championships.

"The winner of the Kleefeld Honey Festival will get an automatic gold ticket to go to the Canadian Food Championship Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta," says Gord Meneer of the Kleefeld Rec Association. "That will give them a 1-in-20 chance of being recognized as the top chili cook in Canada."

Kleefeld's cook off will be the only qualifying event in Manitoba. Registration will open on March 12th, and the Kleefeld Honey Festival itself takes place on August 7th and 8th.