Cynthia Garcia/Roundup
The three contestants that attempted to finish 32 ounces of Tri-tip Chili each at Pierce Monday from T’s Hot Sauce Truck agreed on one thing. It was hot.
Pierce student, John Owens, 19, admitted to being nervous prior to the competition. But after tasting the chili he was spiced-out, ” It’s like if they just mixed chili, beans, and fire” he said. “No body should eat that with anything!”
During the competition, Owens was the only contestant to vomit, but he wasn’t the first to quit the race.
Each contestant had to finish the 32 ounces within 20 minutes to win 50 percent off the T’s Hot Sauce Truck menu for a year, a “I survived T’s Nuclear Chili Bowl!” t-shirt, and their 15 dollars participation fee money back.
The bowl consisted of chili, their original Nuclear Hot Sauce, and other peppers and spices.
It was topped with Wasabi sour cream and accompanied with tortilla chips.
Caitlin Pinkis, 18, was the first contestant to call it quits.
“In one word, horrible,” she said. “There was no taste just spice… it was fire.”
The third contestant, Anthony Weber moved to California from Pittsburg a month ago and learned about the contest when the truck was in Venice on Friday.
“I signed up because I think it’s a great social event and I don’t really know too many people here,” he said.
Weber was the only contestant to water down the chili and also the only one who continued to consume chili until the end.
“It tasted like burning… it just didn’t taste good at all,” he said. “My insides are burning.”
Owens drank Nesquik Strawberry Low-fat Milk, and Pinkis had a cup of milk to help ease the spice.
After the 20 minutes, owner of T’s Hot Sauce Truck Company and competition organizer, Tony Thomas, announced that all three contestants would receive 50 percent off the trucks menu for a year.
Thomas says he thought about the competition after the creation of their newest spice; Nuclear Hot Sauce.
“We needed to make a hotter sauce, something that focused on flavor with heat,” he said.
He is currently not able to divulge ingredient information because he doesn’t have a patent for the sauce. But says he researched the name and when he learned “Nuclear” was available he chose it for the sauce.
“It’s our hottest sauce. I think it also makes sense politically considering the situation in Japan,” he says. “I hope it doesn’t offend anyone though.”
Thomas says he anticipates to have a contest on a bi-monthly bases and at alternate times and days.
For more information on the company updates and future contest information check out their web and twitter page.
http://twitter.com/HotSauceTruck
http://roaminghunger.com/ts-chili-wagon
Caitlin Pinkis wears her reaction on her face after taking the first bites of her 32 ounce bowl of “T’s Nuclear Chili” at the first chili contest hosted by T’s Hot Sauce Truck on the Pierce College campus in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Monday, April 4, 2011. Pinkis was one of three contestants who persisted through their chili bowl mixture of habaÒero peppers, T’s Nuclear Hot Sauce, and other undisclosed, “special” spices. (Crystal Endless 2011)
Anthony Weber clenches his water bottle and takes a bite of “T’s Nuclear Chili” in between sips at the first chili contest hosted by T’s Hot Sauce Truck on the Pierce College campus in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Monday, April 4, 2011. Weber was one of three contestants who persisted through their chili bowl mixture of habaÒero peppers, T’s Nuclear Hot Sauce, and other undisclosed, “special” spices. (Crystal Endless 2011)