Winner of Cambridge-based Indian restaurant Prana charity curry eating competition revealed

Indian restaurant Prana has announced the winner of its ‘how hot can you handle’ charity curry eating competition, which included some of the hottest chillies on the planet.

Ten names were picked at random from those nominated by friends and family on social media to compete in the event in the restaurant on Tuesday, July 6. The eventual winner was local man Andy Rayner.

Owner Kobir Ahmed explained that the judges' final decision was based on "speed, how they [the contestant] handled the spices and how they described the spicy sensations being enjoyed”.

He said: "The first dish was a madras, followed by a vindaloo and the final most challenging one was our home-style cooked dishes packed with the hottest chillies you can find and topped with our smoked chilli flakes."

Kobir also noted that the contest was "so rewarding for everyone involved with Prana" and added: "Being able to give back to the local community in more ways than one is what made this such event such a huge success. Congratulations to Andy Rayner! I’d like to take this opportunity to say a personal thanks to everyone who got involved in helping to raise money for a great cause.”

As the winning contestant, not only will Andy receive a complimentary meal for him and three friends, but Prana will be donating £100 to the LifeCraft mental health charity on Mill Road, helping to reach their target of raising £1,500 for the charity this year.

To see how all of the contestants got on, and what they had to say about the experience, go to Prana's Facebook page at facebook.com/PranaIndianRestaurant. To find out more about the work that LifeCraft do, visit pranarestaurant.co.uk/lifecraft-project.

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