Why Brian Baumgartner Says You Shouldn't Skimp On The Beans For Chili

Fans of "The Office" know Brian Baumgartner as the beloved accountant Kevin Malone, veteran resident of the cast alongside Steve Carrell and star of the famous chili gag, wherein Baumgartner tries (and fails) to clean up a spilled pot of chili on the office floor. Baumgartner's chili expertise doesn't end there, however. In 2022, the actor released his own cookbook, "Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in the World," and has since become something of an aficionado when it comes to this iconic dish.

During a 2021 interview with Mashed, Baumgartner spoke about his ideal chili recipe, detailing how a collaboration with Bush's Beans led him to write his cookbook nearly 10 years after production wrapped on "The Office." According to the actor/chili enthusiast, there's one ingredient that stands above the rest when it comes to his perfect recipe: Beans, and they should never be skimped on.

When it comes to creating the ideal chili, Brian Baumgartner places one ingredient above all others: beans, beans, and more beans. "I actually enjoy a couple of different varieties of beans in [my chili], both the kidney and the pinto," explains "The Office" actor during his interview with Mashed. Baumgartner describes how his recent partnership with Bush's Beans changed up his chili game, as well as the perfect method for adding beans to this staple meal.

"I take a slow-cook approach to the chili that I make, in general, but the beans, you need to put in later," Baumgartner said. Beans cook faster than the rest of the ingredients in a chili, resulting in a soft, soggy texture when overdone. To avoid one of the numerous mistakes you can make with homemade chili, adding beans to the mix later ensures they remain firm while still soaking up the flavors from your chili of choice.

A recipe for Baumgartner's bean chili can be found on Bush's website, as well as in the actor's cookbook, which is currently available to purchase on Amazon.

Why did Brian Baumgartner fall in love with chili after shooting his iconic scene for "The Office"? In part, thanks to the way it smells. During his interview with Mashed, Baumgartner gushed about how the scent of cooking chili has become a welcome aroma in his home ever since filming that fateful chili-spilling scene for "The Office."

"I love it," Baumgartner explains. "I love making it. I love the way that it makes the house smell." But it's not just the smorgasbord of spicy scents that make this dish a favorite for the sitcom star. "It doesn't do you any good to make excellent chili if you don't actually get to eat it," the actor adds.

Thankfully, partnering with Bush's Beans has given "The Office" alumni a new appreciation for this world-renowned dish, inspiring him to pen a cookbook of his own compiling the best chili recipes with his seal of approval — all thanks to a side-splitting gag that sitcom fans will remember fondly for years to come.

Static Media owns and operates Daily Meal and Mashed.