Caliente selected as an “extreme eating challenge” by USA Today

They’re called Stupid Wings for a reason.

May 30, 2014; 10:13 AM • by Richard Hayes

One night not long after Caliente appeared in Man vs Food my family and I sat down for a meal. At the table next to us was a young man, his girlfriend and his parents. He was doing the Stupid Wings challenge. He had the confidence of a college kid and was cockily talking about the challenge while taking random photos including of the kitchen where they were prepping his wings. Laughing as he bit into the first one it was a great pleasure to watch his confidence wash away in tears of pain. His girlfriend and mom were sympathetic to his pain as he threw in the towel after two. His dad was quietly laughing to himself as he chowed on his burger.

Yesterday USA Today online had an article on extreme eating challenges and Caliente made the cut.

Caliente in Richmond, Va.

As if the volume of these challenges isn’t enough, the appropriately-named Caliente kicks things up several notches by offering one of the spiciest competitions around. Roughly 10% of the 6,000-plus who have tried have been able to conquer the kitchen’s “Stupid Wings,” which get their name from a mix of hot sauce, barbecue sauce, habanero powder and cayenne pepper. As if that’s not enough, the kitchen carefully applies five drops of pure capsaicin extract and a dusting of ghost chile. Once regaining their senses, those who finish a pound of the wings in 30 minutes receive a refund ($15) or an “I’m with Stupid” t-shirt.

Image: Caliente