Mike Jack from Stellarton, N.S., holds 18 Guinness World Records for consuming some of the hottest foods on the planet.
“The craziest record I have is for the fastest time to eat 100 Carolina Reaper peppers,” Mike said. “I also have records for eating 100 ghost peppers, 50 Carolina Reapers, 25 Carolina Reapers, and most ghost peppers eaten in two minutes, among other wild spicy feats.”
Mike is also the four-time reigning League of Fire Chili Eating Champion—a competitive pepper-eating league that pits competitors against each other in head-to-head chili-eating challenges.
The League of Fire began with the inaugural World Title Chili-Eating match at the 2019 Guildford Cheese and Chili Festival in Guildford, England, and has since grown into a global competition, with players earning points and ranking belts.
Mike’s training for the world championship started in college with an interest in hot sauce. He began with milder sauces like Frank’s and Tabasco, gradually building his tolerance.
“I started searching for hotter and hotter sauces,” Mike said. His training also includes eating large meals beforehand to help dilute the spice in his stomach, as well as calming Buddhist breathing exercises to prepare mentally.
Mike has a dedicated coach in his wife, Jamie, who supports him during his challenges.
“I didn’t think the spicy challenges were that hot until I tried one myself,” Jamie admitted. “It feels like having a match lit on your tongue.”
The couple holds a Guinness World Record for the longest habanero kiss, having each eaten a habanero pepper and then held their mouths together for 15 minutes.
They’ve also turned their passion for spice into a business, creating their own line of hot sauces. Their signature sauces come in three flavors and heat levels: Taco Tuesday, Rise and Shine (the ultimate breakfast sauce, according to Mike), and Tropical Fury, their hottest sauce, made with pineapple, ghost pepper, and habanero.
