Surprise win in hottest curry challenge
An Oxtail Madras (pictured right) by Alun Sperring of The Chilli Pickle in Brighton was declared the winner of the XXX Mints Can You Handle the Heat Challenge, despite king of heat Rukon Latif’s infamous Curry Hell being named the hottest.
Judges Enam Ali, Cyrus Todiwala MBE, Tamarind’s Rajesh Suri, TV presenter Mriudla Baljekar and radio presenter Chris Evans were looking for a curry that was both tasty and mild enough to be included on a restaurant menu without giving customers a ‘ticket to the toilet or, more seriously, hospital’. They unanimously agreed Sperring’s curry deserved first prize for its spicy combination of tastes and textures.
Latif, owner of Curry Capital restaurant in Newcastle, defended his loss as a misinterpretation of the rules. “I thought they were looking for something that was the hottest,” he said. “The curry that won had a unique taste, but ours has only ever been about the heat. The judges did say they could only manage a fork full.”
Latif’s Curry Hell has famously been pitted as the hottest curry in the world, sparking a fierce rivalry between himself and Cinnamon Club head chef Vivek Singh, who earlier this year created the Bollywood Burner in an attempt to set a world record for the hottest curry.
Singh was due to take part in the challenge with his dish, but had to pull out at the last minute. Latif however was nonchalant about his rival’s failure to appear, confident that Curry Hell would impress the judges over the Bollywood Burner anyway.
“Vivek went on the Chris Evans show with his curry and they ate half of his. When I went on they only managed a spoon of mine. I think Chris clearly proved whose is the hottest.”
Peter Grove, organiser of National Curry Week, said: (Singh) could not make it. His dish would also have been very hot but I cannot imagine anything hotter or crazier than Curry Hell.”
Now despite the judges warning Curry Hell should not be allowed on any menu in the country, Latif has pledged to donate money from each portion of the dish bought at his restaurant to National Curry Week’s chosen charity, Oxfam.
