Between October and November, the small town of Chiuduno (near Bergamo) turns into Italy’s capital of spice with the “Super Hot” Chili-Eating Championship. On November 2, about ten contestants will compete for the title of the nation’s toughest palate in a fiery showdown.

The event is hosted by Jack Pepper, the stage name of Giancarlo Gasparotto, a legend in the chili-eating world and an intercontinental champion. He discovered his unusual “talent” at age 13 during a friendly dare: “I was fine — my friend was crying,” he laughs.

The competition starts with peppers measuring over 100,000 Scoville units and climbs to the fearsome Carolina Reaper, the “Grim Reaper” of chilis, packing 2.2 million Scovilles — the hottest on Earth. The final round is a speed challenge: competitors have two minutes to eat as many super-hot chilis as possible.

To protect themselves, contestants prepare with stomach protectants and carbohydrates to soften the impact of capsaicin, the chemical responsible for heat. “This isn’t a game for everyone,” warns Jack Pepper. “You need training — build up your tolerance slowly.”

Gasparotto’s career began in 2016 when he won his first regional contest and the Italian championship by devouring 900 grams of “Diavolicchio” peppers. He has since become a three-time European champion and a Guinness World Record holder (2018) for eating 146 grams of Bhut Jolokia, rated at one million Scovilles.