Glasgow's Hellzapoppin' Chilli Cook-Off 2022 winners announced

Every year, ten venues in the West End are selected to compete in the event where 600 participant judges decide their winner based on taste, texture, and venue effort.

The Hellzapoppin’ Chilli Cook Off 2022 was a tough competition, with The Drake, The Left Bank, Banana Moon, Finsbay Flatiron, Stravaigin, El Perro Negro, Brett, The Landsdowne, Machair Bar, and Inn Deep all battling it out for the first place prize.

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The event finished at 5.30pm and the results were posted on social media shortly after.

This year, Banana Moon on Great Western Road won the top prize for their chilli.

Brett came in second place and The Left Bank came in third, with The Lansdowne receiving the Judges’ Prize.

Maxine Barrie, general manager of Banana Moon, and her husband, Spencer Barrie, stayed up all night decorating the venue and preparing their chilli.

Maxine told the Glasgow Times: “I feel absolutely exhausted and over the moon.

“I’m so chuffed. The team we’ve got, all new, worked so hard, it wasn’t just down to one person.

“It was a whole group effort. We were in here until five o’clock this morning putting up decorations.

“All of the staff helped paint the t-shirts. We went to charity shops to buy stuff, it was a whole event and we did it with the team.”

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Spencer made the chilli in three stages with lamb and beef and five different types of chillies from Lupe Pintos.

Jägermeister and Primitivo wine were also in the recipe.

Maxine said: “We spent a lot of time, love, and care making it something really special for everyone in the West End."

Judges in the cook-off, as well as staff, are encouraged to dress up along with the theme, with many embracing the Day of the Dead and donning skeleton looks.

Longtime fans of the cook-off, sisters Jane Steele and Hazel Rodriguez, went all out for the devilish theme.

Jane said: “After three years we are finally back to the cook-off, which is a wonderful event.

“It takes you to new bars and restaurants you haven’t been to before and everybody is just enjoying themselves.

“We met so many lovely new people today, it was a wonderful, great day.”

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Hazel added: “Lupe Pintos is amazing to put this on.

“It’s the first time after Covid that we’ve been able to do it, so it’s been really exciting.

“Maxine is the best hostess ever, we just love it to bits here [at Banana Moon] and it’s a great day out with me and my sister.”

Dougie Bell, the owner of Lupe Pintos, brought trophies made out of Voodoo Dolls to all the lucky winning venues.

Dougie said: “Well that’s the end of another cracking chilli cook-off.

“The result is always a count, so 600 people, we count them, and they decide.

“The judges' vote is slightly more complicated, but it’s a count as well.

“I had a brilliant time and I’m doing it all next week again in Edinburgh.”