Feast Your Eyes on This Spicy Cooking Challenge 2012: The Contestants

Hey folks, happy leap day! We are about to leap back into the spicy version of cooking reality shows. Feast Your Eyes on This Spicy Cooking Challenge has returned and we hope you enjoyed last year’s version because the 2012 format will be bigger and better. We have 7 spicy product makers from all over the country that will unleash their fiery finest for you week by week as we determine who is this year’s spicy cooking champ. Each Wednesday, starting March 7th, I present the contestants with a spicy cooking challenge along with a time limit to do it in. Their job is to present us with a creative and visually pleasing video that follows the rules of the challenge. All videos must be submitted by midnight the following Saturday, and I will post them Sunday morning for our judging panel and you, our loyal fans.

Our judges will determine who did their best and who ultimately was the worst. The best of each round will be given a special $50 gift card reward from one of our many sponsors, as well as a bonus advantage going into the next round. The worst will be kicked to the curb and pelted with unlit charcoal briquettes. Week by week we will shrink the contest down until there are only 2 contestants, and they will battle it out for the grand prize, free booths at the Houston Hot Sauce Show and at the NOLA Hot Sauce & Gourmet Food Show. Plus a huge trophy from ILoveItSpicy.com to show off to the world! Sound like fun? You have not seen anything yet!

Our contestants have created introduction videos to let you know a little about themselves. As you will see, some have a bit of video editing talent. Unfortunately for them, we are looking for spicy cooking skillz and their video experience will only aide them so much. If you watched last year’s cooking challenge you would have noticed the top 2 finalists were the only 2 contestants to win throughout the 7 rounds of the contest. Clement Bourge of Cajun Heat squeaked out a victory by 1 judge vote over Johnny McLaughlin of Heartbreaking Dawns. We have brought both back, but not as contestants. They will sponsor and judge a round each, and we are very happy to have their charismatic presence back in any capacity, and quite grateful for their sponsorship.

Speaking of judges, we are delighted to have back the most award winning spicy product maker in the industry, CaJohn Hard of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire. As well as our very own Firehead Thomas, who is also the creator for the name of this contest, Feast Your Eyes on This. Since we have new sponsors, we also have new judges. Representing the Houston Hot Sauce Show we have one of the most respected festival hosts in the fiery food world, Carol Borge. JAC Tailgaters’ very own Tracy Carter representing the NOLA show is too busy to judge, so we have Endorphin Farms’ Adam Fehr to not only take his spot, but also donate $25/contestant for a special behind the scenes challenge that we will announce next week on the 1st challenge video March 7th. Last, but surely not least, the one and only Scott Roberts from www.ScottRobertsWeb.com and the newest featured writer on Chile Pepper Magazine has so kindly volunteered his time to judge for us as well. We are truly blessed to have such a star-studded fiery set of judges for our 2nd spicy cooking challenge.

Now let us get to our 7 contestants…

Chris Bintz of Wicked Cactus Sauces

Rob Holdaway of Sticky Brand Sauces

Chip Welsh of Red Lion Spicy Foods

Steve Zielinski of Crazy Steve’s Pickles & Salsa

Jeff Porter of the Chile Spot

Maria Villafrade of Dragonfire Sauces

Shauna Jellsey of TATS Sauces & Marinades

See you back here next week for the 1st round challenge!