If someone handed you a hot wing that measured two-million on the Scoville scale of spice (SHU), would you eat it? Last weekend at Wingapalooza, 11 people did, willingly.
“I participated in a raw chili pepper eating competition and we ate Carolina Reapers,” said heat-seeker Jonathan Ansell confidently. “I actually won this hat here two years ago, so I came to win back my belt.”
Ansell wasn’t the only one seemingly prepared for the fiery wings. Even before the feast Zaid Alattar practiced with some pregame chicken. Off to the side 26-year-old Tom Dorsa boasted confidence that he could crush the challenge. And Jason Butler said he can eat a whole Carolina Reaper pepper, which clocks in at 1,641,183 SHU, a little under half the score of the contest wings.
“I like chicken wings, and it’s all over Instagram so I figured it would be fun,” said Dorsa. “I hold the record at the bar we frequent, Reiver’s Bar and Grill, and I ate 35 wings.”
But those wings weren’t hot like these. The announcer, who Chicken Fight! fans may recognize from the festival as a Colonel Sanders impersonator, joked the contestants looked like someone was telling them a sad story since tears were pouring down their faces.
“Just so you guys know how hot these wings are, a normal jalapeno is 3000 to 5000 on the Scoville scale, the global scale that measures heat,” said the announcer. “These wings are two-million.”
Yes, the wings were hot. I sampled a mere spoonful of Split Lip chef Cameron Tittle’s creation. The spice didn’t hit right away, instead it spread into a sizzling, fruity, slightly smoky flavor across my entire mouth. Then the heat grew, and grew. While totally manageable as a taste, eating a full meaty wing, let alone 10 of them, is not something I would ever do.
“We took Road Dawg Sauce Leopard and added every evil ingredient,” said Split Lip owner Adam Branz.
For those who wanted a taste of what they saw on stage, Split Lip sold solo wings with the heat for $1 each. Of course regular wings were also on the menu, and on the plate for the other competition focused on how many Buffalo wings one could eat in five minutes.
The rules proved simple, each round, there were two of both hot and volume, was five minutes long. After each round the judges counted the number of fully eaten wings per contestant. Partially-eaten wings didn’t make the cut, the wing had to be stripped with no meat left on the bone.
Both seasoned and novice speed eaters joined the volume contest. Mark Sutherburg was one veteran, stating he had done about 125 wing-eating contests over the last 16 years, and won 49 of them. If he wins, he said, it will be his 50th victory. His record for the most wings in five minutes, 87.
On the first timers side, Matt Oesterle said he joined the fray simply because he wanted to eat a lot of wings. The only competition he had been in, he added, was with himself. He hoped to eat 40 wings in five minutes.
In the first round Joseph Orth finished with 11 wings. Destiny Malone, one of two women in the whole contest, tapped out at eight wings. Finally, Mark Rosato won by eating 30 large, meaty wings in five minutes.
“I had done a bunch of eating contests when I was younger but never professionally, just in college and stuff,” said the towering Rosato. “I’ve always had a big appetite and been able to do it.”
The winner added he hadn’t done a contest in a while. But, he said, after a snub in a hot dog eating competition in Chicago, his wife pushed him to “come out of retirement.” Good thing he did. Not only did he win a $100 gift card to Number 38, but also a trip to Las Vegas and a custom Hats By Parker Thomas hat, which he gave to his wife.
But the real glory, as a winner he’s able to compete again at Chicken Fight! on August 29th at Elitch Gardens. Rosato was joined by hot winner Sergio Atencio on the hot side, who finished all 10 wings in just over three minutes.
While he won, it was obvious he hurt from it, his eyes were bloodshot and his face red from the chili contact. When asked if he would ever do it again, he simply said, “No way,” and continued chugging ice water and dumping it on his head.
