Why Adam Richman Thinks One Restaurant Cheated On Man V Food

Back in the day, "Man v Food" was everyone's favorite guilty pleasure. The show followed host Adam Richman as he journeys across the nation to complete various eating challenges (via Travel Channel). While Richman has since passed the torch to Casey Webb, many of his iconic challenges still live in our heads rent-free (via Twisted Food). From the time he demolished a 72-ounce steak for the Big Texan Steak Challenge to the episode when he conquered the hellfire spicy tuna roll in one of the best "Man v Food" challenges, Richman is still a living legend in our eyes.

For the most part, the challenges can be broken down into two categories: heat challenges and quantity challenges. In an interview with The Guardian, Richman was asked if he prefers one type of challenge over the other. "It's really a case-by-case basis," he explained. "With heat challenges, challenges that use the whole pepper are much, much easier than ones that use pepper extract." While the former "Man v Food" host has taken on many heat-based challenges in his day, there was one that stood out above all the rest, and not in a good way. Richman stands by the fact that the restaurant behind this heat challenge cheated their way to victory (via The Richest). 

This fateful heat challenge took place at the Munchies 420 Café in Sarasota, Florida, according to The Richest. Known as the "Fire In Your Hole" heat challenge, each contestant is tasked with eating 10 spicy wings that have been slathered in a deadly dose of ghost chili extract. To make matters worse, participating contestants are forbidden from drinking any milk or water during the challenge.

Of all the times Richman took on spicy food on "Man V Food," this was the only challenge that he ever lost. On an episode of "Hot Ones," the former TV host explained why this experience made him angry for several reasons (via Food Beast). For one, Richman overhead the chef and staff members whispering about how they planned on altering the challenge for Richman by dousing the wings with a whole bottle of ghost chili extract.

"The reason why I'm especially mad is not because of my record, I don't give a sh** about that, it's that it's cavalier and very dangerous," Richman continued. "I was so jacked up in the bathroom of the place that my tongue had swollen, my nasal passages had swollen ... this is not to be trifled with." Richman explained two other common uses for ghost chili extracts. This lethal chili is used as a method to ward off wild elephants and it is also used as an ingredient in Indian police grenades. Yikes.