Rachael loves cooking ... and firefighters. So combine the two and you've got a 5-alarm fire of excitement! The best chili cookers from fire stations in four cities across the country grab their fire gear -- and cooking utensils! -- and rush to Rachael's studio to compete in the Firefighter Chili Challenge!

Meet the challengers!

Michael Poole -- Seattle, WA

"I've been a Seattle firefighter for 26 years but I've always had a passion for cooking. My grandmother got me started in her Santa Barbara kitchen when I was just a kid. When I retire from the fire department, I think about opening a bistro on my grandmother's land in Santa Barbara."

Special ingredient: dark roasted coffee

Recipe: click here

Craig "Sun Puppy" Nielsen

"I've been a firehouse cook for 24 years. I love to cook and I make all kinds of food. I love outdoor sports and as part of my job now I train other firefighters, including setting fires and trapping the firefighters in burning buildings."

Special ingredient: Angostura bitters and sweet jalapeno peppers

Recipe: click here

Cecilia Ortiz -- Philadelphia, PA

"I originally got the idea to be a firefighter because that's what my husband does for a living. He liked it so much that I decided to give it a try. So I switched careers and now I love it. I've cooked on and off at the firehouse for the last year."

Special ingredient: chorizo

Recipe: click here

James "Eddie" Bell - Houston, TX

"I've been a firefighter for 29 years, and I'm the main cook in charge of food and entertainment for my station. I love to cook and in my spare time I like to fish. I like being the firehouse cook because I learned early on that the cook can get away with anything. Nobody razzes you when you're the cook."

Special ingredient: Jack Daniels and Lone Star Beer

Recipe: click here

The competitors get to work on creating the perfect bowl of chili, and their recipes are judged by three of New York's finest -- members of the NYPD. Once the judging is complete, the results are presented to Rachael, and the winner is ...