"Jerry - It's gone.
The San Fernando Valley (in fact all of Southern California) lost a wonderfully unique restaurant, Chili My Soul, with the death of its creator/chef, Randal (Randy) Hoffman on June 18, 2009. Chili My Soul is now closed and its future is in doubt. Randy loved to play the drums, and he prided himself in the creation of the most wonderful chili - in fact his restaurant featured over 35 of his chili recipes. On any given day about fifteen of them, rated in heat from one to ten, were available to his customers. Randy was a perfectionist, using only the finest ingredients in a process that took 30 hours or more of simmering during which he skimmed off the fat four times. His chili was not only delicious, it was healthy. He loved to greet his fans and urged them to taste a sample before ordering. His customers, many who considered him a friend, traveled from close and far for his gourmet chili. He started as a chef decades ago by supplying other restaurants with his specialty. In the 1980's he opened his own take-out chili restaurant, Chili My Soul, at a strip mall located at 4928 Balboa Blvd., Encino. Eventually, he took over the store next door and added an area to sit and dine. For so many of his customers, so proud that the San Fernando Valley had a great place to get their chili fix, Randy Hoffman's death is a very sad event.
- Alan H. Simon"
Chili My Soul - 4926 - 4928 Balboa Blvd (at Ventura Blvd), Encino, CA - Photo by Alan H. Simon taken on July 27, 2009, after owner Randolph (Randy) Hoffman died. Restaurant was closed.