Diners Collapse In 'World's Hottest Curry' Contest

A competition to eat the “world’s hottest curry” has come under fire after all 10 contestants collapsed and had to be treated by paramedics.

Restaurant owner Abdul Ali said he may have underestimated the strength of his ‘Kismot Killer’ – which he described as a “top secret nuclear strength recipe using some of the world's hottest chillies” and made diners sign a legal disclaimer before eating.

Emergency services were called to Kismot Restaurant in Edinburgh, Scotland, when competitors started writhing on the floor in agony and fainting. Two had to be taken to hospital for further treatment.

Curie Kim, who came second in the contest, was taken to hospital twice within five hours after suffering severe stomach pains.

The Korean student, 21, told BBC Scotland: "It was very painful and felt like I was being chainsawed in the stomach with hot sauce on the chainsaw.

"I have learned my lesson and will never do it again and, in fact, I will be cutting down on my spice intake full stop."

There were three rounds to the annual challenge, with competitors having to finish increasingly lethal curries until they got to the Kismot Killer, laced with incendiary Dorset naga and Jolokia ghost naga chillies.

The ambulance service criticised the restaurant and told it to make sure paramedics are not needed at future competitions.

Local councillor Gordon Mackenzie called the event a "shambles" and said: "The owners owe a debt to the ambulance service, and I hope they'll find some way of making it up to them."

Ali admitted he would have to "tone down" the contest, but said it had raised more than £1,000 for Scottish children's charity CHAS.

He said half of the 20 challengers who took part had quickly dropped out after witnessing the first 10 diners vomiting, collapsing and fainting.

Only three of the 100 or so people who have tried the dish have managed to finish it, he added.

The disclaimer the contestants had to sign stated: “You are totally aware that you are having probably the world’s hottest curry. Kismot Restaurant will take no responsibilities for the bodily functions after you eat the curry.

“If you die whilst eating or as a direct result of eating the curry, members of the table with share the cost of your Kismot Killer.”

It added: “The Kismot Killer curry is free if you completely finish eating it by yourself. If you complete the Kismot Killer curry you will receive a certificate of completion and we will take a photograph of you to put on our Hall of Fame section of our website. If you fail our Hall of Shame awaits!”

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, such was the publicity that the restaurant’s website had crashed, meaning the photos couldn’t be seen.