The Spiciest Food Bobby Flay Has Ever Eaten

We all know celebrity chef Bobby Flay for his take on Southwestern flavors (not to mention his useful home cooking tips), but it's always interesting to see what kind of experiences a chef has had while trying other types of food. And though you'd think he's tried his fair share of spicy cuisine in the past, there's one dish he's mentioned that was easily the hottest.

In a rapid-fire interview with Food Network, Flay said that the spiciest dish he's ever had was Nashville hot chicken. It was so hot, in fact, he says, "I couldn't feel my face." 

Nashville hot chicken does indeed have a reputation for being extremely spicy, though commonly available fast food interpretations of it have toned down the flame quite a bit. Some chains don't hold back, however, like the wildly popular Dave's Hot Chicken. At Dave's, you can pick a heat level, and in fact, at many Nashville hot chicken restaurants like the famed Hattie B's, you can choose the level of heat you receive.

We know Nashville hot chicken is hot, because "hot" is right in the name. So it shouldn't surprise you that this fried chicken is covered in a paste of spices like cayenne pepper and chili powder. But there's an additional step that some people might not realize adds to the heat level: The dry spices are mixed in oil before being brushed onto the chicken. And capsaicin, the compound responsible for spicy food giving you that burn, is oil-soluble. If you've ever had anything greasy, you know how much that film can linger on the inside of your mouth. With your poor mouth in contact with all that spiciness hanging around, the fire from that Nashville hot chicken sure can outstay its welcome.

So it makes sense that an unapologetic version of Nashville hot chicken would be what finally beat Bobby Flay (see what I did there?). And if you ever get curious and want to challenge yourself to the hottest possible version, just remember that if a seasoned chef, who cooks and eats for a living, can't handle it, your chances in conquering it might have just dwindled a bit.