Novice beats all comers in chilli-eating contest
About 1,000 people gathered on Saturday for the third annual Chilli Festival at African Sky’s Venue in Gqeberha.
They were there to watch who would dare eat the Carolina Reaper chilli and firsttime participant George Neil won the competition without breaking a sweat.
There was also live entertainment, along with a craft sauce contest, local arts and crafts vendors, tractor rides, jumping castles and a beer tent.
Named the Silver Fox for his grey hair, Neil remained cool as a cucumber and said he believed he had inherited his love of hot food from his mother.
“I decided to give the competition a try. I went on Google for tips, where I saw the top 10 tips, but I only used one.
“I lined my stomach with a dairy product, I drank a little bit of milk before the competition and had a banana.
“Apparently a banana helps with digestion. In the beginning, I did it for fun, but later I saw there were only three or four guys left, including the champion, Monde Raga.
“When the other guys dropped out and I was left with last year’s champ Monde beside me, I decided to mentally stick it out by blocking out the heat and just eating,” Neil said.
After the competition, he said he felt well, with no signs of discomfort or a burning stomach.
He planned to flush his system with brandy and coke.
“I could go another round or two, but I feel really good about winning the competition.
“I don’t know if I will participate in future competitions, but I am happy I got this win,” Neil said.
Raga said this year’s competition was tough and congratulated Neil on his win.
Bay Chillis Port Elizabeth cofounder Jennifer Kleinhans said they had started preparing for the competition in December after hosting their last event.
This year’s competition was difficult for the 13 participants and not for the faint-hearted with 12 different chillies, apart from the Reaper and others that were kept for tiebreakers.
“After Covid-19 hit we decided we needed something that was family-friendly and affordable for the community to come together,” Kleinhans said.
“People in the competition react differently with some preparing beforehand.
“You think they will drop out after the first one because they start crying, but they do not.”