PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plett recorded its hottest night yet on Saturday 29 April - not due to global warming, but because of the arrival of the town's first red hot chilli festival.
Nine competitors, one as young as 11, munched through burning servings of the hot stuff, ranging from 2 500 heat units of jalapenos, to the almost 2,2 million heat units of the world's hottest chilli, the Carolina Reaper. Anton Maree, an agent at Engel & Völkers, was the 'chilli devil' who came up with the idea of a chilli festival for Plett.
His choice of chillies brought fire to the lips of contestants and tears to some of their eyes.
"I love chillies and want to create a presence for it as well as supporting Plett businesses by creating the chilli festival," said Maree. "I wanted to do something that gets people out of their comfort zone by trying something new - and affordable."
The festival included a number of participating restaurants with servings of cuisine from five countries – chilli dumplings from China, Indian curry, spicy potatoes from Spain, spicy chicken from Jamaica, and the South African contribution – hot pap fingers, filled with Carolina Reaper!
The highlight of the festival was the chilli tasting competition during which contestants tasted five different chillis. Leon van Dyk (15), a Goudvelder rugby player from Welkom, tied with Peter Reid of "Flhatink" of Plett, but the judges finally decided to declare Leon the overall winner.
The reason: he did not once blink an eyelid while eating the hot stuff.
Peter Reid from Plett and Leon van Dyk of Welkom shake hands at the end of the taste-off. It was declared a tie, but then the judges decided that Leon was the overall winner.
Leon says he'll definitely one day be playing for the Cheetahs – and his chilli prowess proves he has the endurance to achieve his dream. Said Leon, "Eintlik was dit lekker (Actually, it was nice) … very exciting." Even a rain shower couldn't dampen the temperatures generated by the red hot chillies.
The youngest contestant, 11-year-old Joel Woollat who attends Plett Primary School, said, "It was overwhelming. Delicious".
On a scale of one to 10, he gave the evening a nine. "Even the cold glass of milk (the surrender indicator) tasted warm after the chillies," said Joel.
Anton Maree, the 'chilli devil' whose idea it was to hold a chilli festival in Plett.
A fire dancer puts together a ring of fire in the build-up of the festival.
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