2012 has come to an end, but not before the finder.com.au team tested their endurance to determine who should be crowned the one, true Chilli King.
The finder.com.au team take their chilli very seriously. To warm up for the competition, the entire finder.com.au team made their way over to ShanCheng Hotpot.
Shancheng is known for its amazing hotpot dishes - steaming hot bowls of broth to which you add the ingredients of your choosing. Our tables chose the broth that was half chicken and half spicy chilli. With extra chilli on the side, for those who were feeling adventurous. It was an excellent way to prepare the contestants!
Coming back from a fiery warm-up, nine Chilli Champions stepped up to become the Chilli King. Among them were: Daryll Jann, Jeremy Cabral, William Eve, Fred Schebesta, Adrian Barclay, Matt Corke, David Cheng, Sandy and Claude Moelan.
The Rules:
- You must chew the chilli for 20 seconds, no swallowing
- Can tap out whenever you want
- No milk
- No drinks
The Chillies
- Naga Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) Chilli
- Melinda's Naga Jolokia Hot Sauce
- Scorpion Strike Hot Sauce (Stupidly Hot)
The competition kicked off with a bang. From round 1 you could see the determination, sweat and pain on their faces. There were a total of 6 rounds with different combinations of chilli with a heat gradually escalated each time.
What the competitors had to say
- "An assault on the senses." - Will
- "It was fine in the mouth, the problems started when it was being processed in the stomach that it began to burn and churn." - Matt
- "It instantly dried out my lips. I'd imagine that's what doing a lip transplant without anesthetic feels like. Rolling on some lip balm never felt better." - Adrian
- "Even though I was trying to use a technique not to chew the chilli directly on my tongue, my mouth still felt like it was on fire after I put them in." - Sandy
- "It stings your tongue, scorches your mouth and sears your guts." - Daryll
- "All was good for 1st... then 2nd round... Until the chilli hit the stomach. *OUCH!!" - David
- "I had enough pressure from the 2 compared with the other guys who went to outer space! " - Fred
