Glasgow restaurants to battle it out in Lupe Pintos chilli cook-off

After two years on the backburner due to Covid, event organisers from beloved Mexican deli Lupe Pintos are ready to turn up the heat and celebrate the 10th year of their competition on October 1.

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Six-hundred ticketholders are the judges and will journey to each of the 10 participating bars and restaurants before voting for their favourite chilli on the scorecard provided.

The event has developed a cult following over the years with returning judges turning it into an all-out chilli-and-tequila fancy dress bar crawl.

Punters take the opportunity to embrace their spooky side by painting their faces up like sugar skulls or donning capes and masks in the style of traditional lucha libre wrestlers.

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This year’s theme is ‘Hellzapoppin’, based on the title of a 1940s film and a nod to Mexican Day of the Dead.

The culinary line-up this year includes The Drake, The Left Bank, Banana Moon, Finsbay Flatiron, Stravaigin, El Perro Negro, Brett, The Lansdowne, Machair Bar, and Inn Deep.

Tickets go on sale to the public on September 1 and often sell out quickly.

Dougie Bell, owner of Lupe Pintos deli, said: “The very first event was a real hoot.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but a lot of people got dressed up in daft costumes.

“A lot of the venues decorate, they go beyond their normal opening by putting up lots of Mexican decorations and Mexican flags, and there’s a real fiesta feeling.”

He added: “It’s a lovely, surprising thing that it’s developed into.

“I never knew it was going to be such a bonding event.”

From noon until 5.30pm, judges are encouraged to create their own path to each venue before finishing off at Lupe Pintos to drop off the final scorecard. The results are posted online shortly after.

Ready to make a safe return after Covid restrictions have been removed, Dougie is delighted for the return of this true community event.

He said: “I feel like it’s important to have it, because a lot of the bars have really, really struggled.

“I mean, half the venues have disappeared since two years ago, which is really sad.

“The ones that are still with us under the same management are all excited and looking forward to it, so I think it’s time.

“And the customers are going nuts, they can’t believe the cook-off is coming back, so I’m feeling happy about it.”

Dougie added: “There should be hundreds of wee colourful devils running around and lots of skeletons.”