The 12th annual NYC Hot Sauce Expo turned up the heat at Industry City on Sept. 20, drawing spice lovers from across the tri-state area looking to tempt — and test — their taste buds.
From Carolina Reaper bobbing contests to craft cocktails, local beers, and what organizers call the “Emmy Awards of hot sauce,” the day was a flaming celebration of flavor for all who dared attend.
More than 50 hot sauce vendors from the U.S. and Canada showed off their stuff, offering free tastings that spanned from mild flavors to extreme heat. Visitors tested their limits in the event’s signature Stage of DOOM challenges, which included the notoriously hot Carolina Reaper bobbing contest.
Queens resident Yvonne Tortorelli emerged as the contest winner, consuming a whole Carolina Reaper pepper in record time. Tortorelli, a veteran of multiple pepper-eating competitions, said she holds a Guinness World Record in a weight-class pepper-eating category.
Organizers like Steve Seabury of High River Sauces ensured safety was front and center, handing out swim goggles for the spiciest competitions.
Participants like Andrea from New Jersey and locals such as Ed joined the fiery festivities, while groups of friends, including Stephanie Minarik and Austin, came to share the experience — and, for some, sample sauces they brought from their own kitchens.
One Brooklynite even showcased peppers grown in their own garden, keeping the heat hyper-local.
Founded in 2013 by Seabury, the NYC Hot Sauce Expo was created to celebrate the rapidly growing hot sauce industry and bring together chiliheads and vendors under one roof.
The inaugural event in Williamsburg featured dozens of vendors serving sauces from mild to blistering heat. Since then, the expo has expanded across Brooklyn and now hosts the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame, honoring key figures in the fiery foods world.
Additional reporting by Erica Price
