FAQS 🌶
FAQS 🌶
THE EVENT
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The Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship is Australia’s premier chilli eating competition.
Presented by THE BEAST & MELBOURNE HOT SAUCE, Australia’s favourite chilli eating competition has been held at The Beast in Brunswick East, Melbourne since 2016. -
The 9th Annual Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship was held on Saturday the 2nd of March, 2024.
Sign up to our mailing list or follow us on socials for announcements about our next event! -
Doors open at 12PM.
It’s 100% free to spectate.
Capacity is limited so arrive early! Fun starts at 12PM with spicy menus, speciality bevs, hot sauce stalls. Chilli action starts on the stage soon after! -
24 competitors will battle it out for the honour of being crowned Melbourne’s best chilli eating CHAMPION!
There’ll be a specialty chilli-themed food and beverages, the world’s hottest sausage sizzle, good vibes, live band karaoke and a few extra surprises too.
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If they have a strong stomach.
Kids are allowed if accompanied by a parent/guardian. We recommend kids aged 12 and upwards only. This event not suitable for young kids. -
The Beast is located at 80 Lygon St, Brunswick East – 10 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD.
Take the number 1 or number 6 tram to stop #121 Weston/Lygon St in Brunswick East. The tram stop is 1 minute walk from the venue.
Street parking is available nearby, and there’s a carpark on Weston St, 1 minute walk from the venue.
THE COMPETITION
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Starting out mild and quickly moving up the Scoville scale, contestants will have to fight their way through all manner of fresh chilli, extreme sauces, Beast kitchen concoctions, chilli-infused drinks and our infamous Reaper Kebabs & chilli "turkducken".
Expect to see all manner of insanely hot chilli including Carolina Reaper, Ghost Chilli, Trinidad Scorpion, Naga Viper, Chocolate 7pot, Jay’s Peach Scorpion & many more secret additions! There will be casualties!
2023 took over 30 rounds of chilli eating madness to crown our champion, Gabby Del Castillo. -
Entries open at 12PM on Friday the 2nd of February. Entries close 11:59PM, Thursday 29th of
February.
There are only 24 spots available, so you’ll need to be quick.
Three easy steps to enter.💥 STEP 1: Head over to The Beast (80 Lygon St, Brunswick East) to try their chilli challenge hot sauce to see if you can handle the heat.
💥 STEP 2: Sign the waiver, pay the entry fee of $20 at our website and then wait to hear from us for details.
If you can’t make it to the venue in person, you’ll need demonstrate your chilli prowess by eating a whole chilli, the equivalent of a Habañero or hotter and upload it to the form on this site when it’s live. Be creative.
💥 STEP 3: Wait to hear back from the team with details.
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This is a last person standing event.
Disqualification is by way of knock out, tap out, pass out or spew out!
No napkins, drinking or standing allowed.
Beer & milk will be provided to taunt you into quitting
Spew buckets will be provided & needed!
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Over $2000 in cash, prizes, merch, fame & everlasting glory!
Full loot below.
1ST PRIZE:
$600 cash
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship Ltd Edition Hot Sauce
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship T Shirt
1 x slab of Tallboy & Moose beer
12 pack of Melbourne Hot Sauce
Melbourne Hot Sauce T Shirt
MCEC official sponsors hamper
2ND PRIZE:
$100 cash
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship Ltd Edition Hot Sauce
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship T Shirt
6 pack of Melbourne Hot Sauce
Melbourne Hot Sauce T-shirt
MCEC official sponsors hamper
3RD PRIZE:
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship Ltd Edition Hot Sauce
MCEC official sponsors hamper
Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship T Shirt
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2024’s championship title is held by Gabby Del Castilo, who won the 2023 title too.
2021 + 2022 champion Greg ‘Iron Guts’ Barlow began his chilli journey, right here.After winning the MCEC 2020 title, he went onto compete globally and holds several world records, including the most amount of Carolina Reapers consumed in one sitting, 160.
2020 winner, Steve Batancs was also a first-time entrant and made Karl Stefanovic cry on live TV.
FULL WINNER’S LIST:
2016 - Mina Luna
2017 - Mina Luna
2018 - Harry
2019 - Nat Ramley
2020 - Steve Batancs
2021 - Greg Barlow
2022 - Greg Barlow
2023 - Gabby Del Castillo
ACCESSIBILITY
+ SAFETY
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The Beast is an accessible venue, with a wide ramp and an accessible toilet.
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The Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship is an inclusive, safe community event.
St John’s Ambulance are on standby for competitors.
Security will be present – aggressive behaviour, violence, bigotry, or any sh*tty behaviour is strictly not tolerated. Any offenders will be ejected immediately.
FUN STUFF
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The Beast will be running a special food and beverage on the day, featuring an array of top-notch products and produce from local suppliers.
This year’s theme is Spicy Australiana.
We’ll be hosting the world’s hottest sausage sizzle, frozen margs, delicious sauces from Melbourne Hot Sauce, produce from McGregor’s Butchers, beers from Tallboy & Moose, and more! -
Hell. Yes.
Prizes to be won for best dressed punter!
Bring your costumes, doof sticks, and outrageous signs.
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Are you Ron Burgundy?
If you’re not, then no.
We provide milk and reasonable moral support for all competitors.
If you’re a vegan and competing – we’ll have plant-based milks ready for you.
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Begin your day with 100 pushups and a breakky shot from the Melbourne Hot Sauce Challenge range.
Look into the mirror, practise simultaneously ugly crying and yelling in thirty second intervals.
Hold a Scorpion chilli to your ear and repeat = “SPICE LORD ENERGY.”
Just, don’t touch your eyes.
PARTNER WITH US
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We need your support!
If you’re in a position to support us, day g’day!
Email hi@melbournechillieatingchampionship.com.au