East Students Take on Thai Super Hot Chili Challenge

By Hannah Cruse

A sip of milk then a bite of rice, chicken and bits of 53 spicy peppers. Freshman Anthony Garcia has just one more bite to go. He takes a gulp of milk that barely makes it down. Garcia tries to tune out the cheers and claps of the people around him.

“One more. One more bite.” Garcia thinks as he scoops a spoonful of the spicy Thai food into his mouth. Another sip of milk.

“Oh, No.” He thinks to himself. “Shirt, shirt, shirt” goes through his mind to the beat of the claps. Eyes on the prize trying to keep the milk down. The milk ends up on his plate with a bite to go. Garcia throws down the towel.

Garcia is one of three students from East to try the Thai Super Hot Chili Challenge, which occurs every Thursday at the Thai Place in Westport. The Challenge is 53 peppers: Thai peppers, Jalapeños and Habeneros. Your choice of chicken, beef or shrimp, two cups of rice topped with two fried eggs.

The Thai Place allows people to bring in their own drink to take care of the spice. Junior Nick Mason brought two 16oz bottles of milk. Garcia and freshman Gavin Cruse relied on Cruse’s mother to bring the milk.

“It wasn’t just us three. We had about eight people do the challenge, his [Cruse] mom brought milk for the whole table. I drank the root beer one by myself,” Garcia said.

The table had the record number of people trying to complete the challenge at anyone time: eight people. Three adults had completed the challenge and Garcia got a T-shirt even though he didn’t finish.

Out of the three East students only Garcia came close to finishing.

“I really thought that I was going to finish,” Mason said. “I didn’t eat much only something small for lunch. I even thought I was used to spicy foods. Nothing will ever be as hot as the Challenge.”

Mason became sick 10 minutes in. Cruse about 15-20, he lost track of time. Garcia lasted until there was two minutes left in the 30-minute time limit.

Jaes Overley put the group together and faced the Challenge for the second time.

“The first time I couldn’t finish, it was just to hot and I am used to spice. This time I knew I could finish. I was expecting the heat,” Overley said.

Overley spoke with the owner, Pam, about the Challenge. Pam had made his food the first time Overley did the Challenge; her husband had made the meal the second time.

“I really wanted to finish and get the T-shirt,” Garcia said. “The guy told me that if I cleaned the plate, literally, then I could get the T-shirt.”

A shivering Garcia picked up his plate and went to the washbasin to clean the plate.

Three finishers and Garcia stood for a picture. Their prize? A T-shirt that says, “I survived the Thai Super Hot Chili Challenge,” and the meal free.

“Gavin [Cruse] and I want to do it again. Another big group to do this. We didn’t know what to expect then but now we do. We will finally beat the Challenge.” Garcia said.

The boys are determined to beat the Challenge. Spice, hot, gut wrenching, mouth burning tears running down faces are symptoms of the Challenge.

Just grab friends, and parents, sign the waiver, order the Thai Super Hot Chili Challenge and wait for your food to arrive. Let the mouth watering, stomach rumbling anticipation set in. Then eat.

Overley’s advice from the two times he has done it? Don’t psych yourself out, let the food sit the time doesn’t start until you dig in, and break open the egg. It helps with the spice. Then trick your stomach. Don’t, try not to stop eating until it’s gone.

If the server approves of your plate, you win.