Monday evening at Landmark Americana, Rowan University hosted Houshmand’s Hazardous Hot Sauce cook-off, where fifteen contestants were given the opportunity to show off their cooking skills. The contestants were allowed to cook any dish of their choice, as long as the dish featured one of the three Houshmand’s Hazardous Hot Sauces, Ali’s Nasty, Nastylicious and Nastyvicious.

WATCH: Highlights of the hot sauce cook-off.

The contest was full of eager contestants, most being Rowan alumnus, staff and one Rowan University student. Taste testing was a huge part of the event due to willing participants being able to determine the winner of the cook-off with their votes for their favorite dish. The event held a wheel spinning contest in which everyone was given the opportunity to win a prize.

All of the dishes were delicious and unique, including Rowan alumnus Carey M. Hamilton’s
Green Spring Roll, in which Hamilton took a vegetarian approach in making his dish. Hamilton featured Houshmand’s Nastylicious Hot sauce in his Green Spring Rolls. And according to Hamilton, he hoped this contest would bring future opportunities for his business.

“The dish was inspired by my project to market my company, Carey’s Gourmet, Collard Green Spring Roll to colleges, sports arenas, restaurants and supermarket chains,” said Hamilton.

Out of all fifteen contestants, Rowan staff and alumnus Derick “Ringo” Adamson’s dish “Ringo’s Island Surf and Turf” won the overall crowd and judge favorite, standing in first place for both. Followed by him was second place winner Chetna Macwan with her “Hot and Fiery Butter Chicken” dish, and Rowan student Rebecca Bradshaw came in third place with her sweet “Hot Chocolate Lava Cake with Homemade Orange Mango Ice Cream” dish.

“Tonight’s event was pretty awesome, especially knowing that all the proceeds go towards student scholarship funds,” said senior radio, television and film major David Latimer. “It’s a great way to get students to come out and participate in something.”

Latimer’s favorite dish was Michael Funk’s, Panzerfaust Chili of which he said, “I have a high tolerance for heat, but that one was pretty hot.”

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