A Brief History of DWC Dad’s Chili

When you order a bowl of DWC Dad’s Chili, you aren’t just getting a bowl of chili, you’re getting a piece of DWC’s history and the love of a father and his son to give their customers a product that they are proud of.

A secret recipe to this day, DWC Dad’s Chili began as a homemade chili made by owner Gus Malliarus’ father. Like many individuals post-retirement, he could never be found sitting still. Instead, he brought his family-famous chili, having been making it for the past 15 years, to Detroit Wing Company. Made in batches, portioned, frozen, and shipped to each DWC location, there was only one person in the world that new the recipe for the DWC homemade chili.

While Malliarus’ father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020, this never stopped him from his commitment to deliver his famous homemade chili to the DWC locations. Between treatments, he could be found taking over the kitchen to make the latest batch of chili, proudly announcing “This is my kitchen, I’ll let you know when I’m done,” or in the Eastpointe location’s lobby providing samples to customers. Malliarus’ father passed away due to health complications before having the opportunity to share his recipe with his loved ones, a realization that Malliarus did not realize until his father’s funeral.

Malliarus began the process of replacing the homemade chili, sampling frozen chili options on the market to find the closest alternative. During this process, he thought, “What am I doing? My dad would kick my ass if he knew I was replacing his chili.” Abandoning all efforts to replace the homemade chili with frozen alternatives, Malliarus began his journey to replicate his father’s chili as closely as possible.

Partnering with an Eastpointe staff member, Bobby, who frequently helped his father, the recipe for the DWC Dad’s Chili began to take form. With uncountable taste tests, innumerable days and weeks standing at the stove cooking chili, and even scrounging for old receipts for hints at ingredients, Malliarus and his father’s dedicated helper, Bobby, committed themselves to creating what is now known as DWC Dad’s Chili. After countless hours of cooking, tasting, and adjusting, Bobby takes a bite of the latest batch and says, “You got it.”

Today, you can order a bowl of DWC Dad’s Chili at any of our locations.

The DWC Dad’s Chili doesn’t need toppings like cheese or sour cream, it’s just the way it comes – but it goes great with a loaf of our DWC Cornbread! Made with the highest quality ingredients, the perfect spicy kick, and a history you can feel with every bite, visit your local DWC to experience this important piece of our story.