LONDON (AFP) ― A British curry house was in hot water Wednesday after a competition to find out who could stomach most of its infamous “Kismot Killer” curry ended up with two participants hospitalized.
Emergency services are demanding a review into the tournament after they were called to the Kismot restaurant in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, on Saturday following reports that some competitors were “very unwell”.
Members of the British Red Cross were on hand at the event, which raises money for the Scottish children’s charity Chas, but the Scottish Ambulance Service was required after two diners suffered a violent reaction.
Curie Kim, a 21-year-old U.S. exchange student, finished second but called for an end to the event.
“It was very painful and felt like I was being chainsawed in the stomach with hot sauce on the chainsaw,” she explained to the BBC.
“I was in so much pain I wasn’t aware of what was going on around me and when I got to hospital they gave me medicine for the indigestion.
“I don’t think the restaurant should do it any more as I think there are a lot less painful ways to raise money for charity,” she added.
Organiser Abdul Ali admitted that they “could not cope” with the spicy situation.
“We put our hands up. We did have to call the emergency services for a couple of our participants,” he added.
Ali said that all diners were now “fit and well” and that 1,000 pounds ($1,540) had been raised in the contest.
However, councillor Gordon Mackenzie branded the event a “shambles” and said the owners “owe a debt to the ambulance service.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service urged the organizers to review the way in which the event was managed.
