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To those not native to the Northern Kentucky-Cincinnati area, Skyline Chili seems a perversion of two already delicious but very separate foods: Spaghetti and Chili. The two mixed together seems a disgusting combination that has no place in someone’s diet. While at first glance, this snap judgment may appear accurate, once given a closer look, the beauty of the Cincinnati Style Chili tradition shows its true colors.
When many hear the combination of chili and spaghetti, their minds are filled with the image of the traditional Texas style chili with beans and chunks of beef over noodles, completely different from the actual meal. Skyline Chili is Cincinnati style chili, a sauce like chili, rather than a soup, derived from Greek influence and different in taste and substance. It is very thin so that it can be served over things rather than eaten by itself. While you could order a bowl of it, you would be disappointed because it does not compare to a bowl of hardy Texas Chili. Rather, it is designed and made with the purpose in mind of being a compliment to something else.
Many also credit its unique taste as a reason for their aversion to the chili. While I understand that this taste may not appeal to everyone, I think that many fail to grasp the context of its recipe. Skyline is heavily influenced from its founder’s Greek heritage, giving it a different taste from most other types of chilis. It was started in 1949 by Nicholas Lambrinides, a Greek immigrant to Cincinnati, and his three sons. The name was inspired by the view of the Cincinnati skyline from the first restaurant on Price Hill. By the end of the century, over 110 restaurants had been opened. Its Greek fluence defines Skyline’s past and present and is what makes it a unique and beloved taste around the city.
I am not asking everyone who does not like Skyline to simply change their mind and decide to like it, I understand that the food is not for everyone. Rather, all I am trying to do is put the recipe and history into context so that it can be greater appreciated. In the future, don’t think of Skyline Chili as a blasphemous combination of two very different foods, but rather, an immigrant success story pushed forward by its original recipe.
Jacob Crowley is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2027. He is studying history, political science, and Spanish at the University of Louisville.