LEBO MJANGAZE
Chilli Club SA is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a sizzling event at the East London Museum on April 26. From 11am to 5pm, the venue will come alive with stalls showcasing all things chilli — from spicy sauces and fiery spices to sweet treats with a kick.
The annual festival promises to feature a wide variety of chilli-based foods and products, alongside non-spicy options and child-friendly treats to ensure fun for the whole family.
Organiser Anna Middleton said: “The Chilli Club started in Cape Town and has since grown into a national group now known as the Chilli Club SA. It’s one of many communities obsessed with chillies of all kinds and heat levels, grown to make sauces, spices, and even sweets.
“This will be our fifth chilli festival in East London, and it’s shaping up to be one of our best.
“We’ll have a variety of vendors — some selling chilli-infused food or products, others catering to children and those who prefer non-spicy options. It’s a real family day.
“Many people dress up, often using Mexican themes to add to the fun and festive vibe.”
The event’s MC, Jose de Carvalho — who also has his own chilli sauce brand — will guide the programme for the day and announce the winners of several competitions.
One of the highlights is the popular chilli-eating competition. Middleton said: “Up to 10 contestants will compete by eating chillies of increasing heat, ending with the infamous Carolina Reaper. The first to finish the Reaper wins. Our reigning champion, Catherine Dutton, will be back to defend her title.”
There will also be a chilli sauce cook-off, where contestants will be provided ingredients and must prepare their best sauce live, in front of a crowd.
Adding culinary flair to the festival, Middleton, who is the private chef from Evolve Restaurant will participate in a friendly mystery box cook-off with Mamta Ranchhod from Indish Kitchen. Their showdown will be a fun, light-hearted cooking show for the audience.
In collaboration with the East London Museum and Evolve, the museum will offer free entry to the public during the festival. Mexican music will set the mood, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere throughout the day.
“Our aim is to bring chilli lovers together at least once a year to showcase their products. It’s a place where you’ll see a wide variety of chilli pods, seeds, sauces, as well as Indian, Cuban, and Mexican foods,” Middleton said.
“Networking is a huge part of the event — there’s a massive global following for chilli festivals, and Chilli Club SA has more than 7,000 followers on Facebook.
“The group was created to help growers educate each other and share their passion.”
While entry to the festival is free, there will be a small fee for participating in competitions and accessing certain museum exhibits.
