Pietermaritzburg’s Chris Morton handled the heat and outlasted his competitors, emerging victorious at the Great East Coast Chilli Festival. Led by Titanium Media South Africa (TMSA), the festival took place at the Northwood Crusaders Sports Club in Durban North on 26 April.
Spice lovers turned out in their numbers for a day packed with fun, flavour, and fiery competition. Morton overcame a record-breaking 14 rounds of blistering spicy heat to outlast serious competition and claim the title of 2025 Chilli Pod Eating Champion. His fiery victory earned him the coveted championship belt, where his name will soon be engraved alongside past winners.
Morton said he had loved hot food from an early age and shared that at school, he ate a Birds Eye Chilli on a dare – which made him cry. Undeterred, Morton continued to try spicy foods, learning how to cook from his boarding school chef, whose food had a lot of spice. “My love for cooking started there. I like hot food, but I don’t eat it all the time, so I start preparing about three weeks in advance. I start with a habanero, which causes sweating, and when that stops, I have the next one. Once the sweating stops, you proceed to the next level of heat and so on,” Morton said.
Festival founder, Nick Papadopoulos, said: “We are thrilled with the success of this year’s festival. Seeing the community come together in such a passionate and exciting way reinforces the true spirit of this festival.”
Papadopoulos said the festival celebrates local talent, creates opportunities for artisanal chilli producers, and brings together spice enthusiasts from all walks of life. Additionally, they are proud to be part of an event that keeps growing and evolving every year, and are excited to continue supporting the chilli community.
In addition to the Chilli Pod Eating Contest, attendees were treated to a day filled with exciting activities, including the announcement of this year’s winners of the ‘Awesome Sauce’ Competition, the Crazy Korean ‘Speed Wings and Ramen Challenge’, and the ‘Kadipore Farms Hot Panu Puri Challenge.’
TMSA Director, Sheetal Cross, said: “The festival served as an innovation hub, offering business networking opportunities for food entrepreneurs, spice traders, and industry investors while strengthening Durban’s role in the African spice trade. This event showcased Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, uplifting and resourcing all participants. By integrating food, culture, and tourism, the festival contributes to sustainable economic growth, increasing opportunities with retail establishments, while generating potential employment across multiple industries, including hospitality, logistics, event management, and agribusiness.”
