Hottest Curry in the World
A few years while living and working in London I was fortunate enough to attend a team lunch at The Cinnamon Club, an upmarket Indian restaurant in Westminster. At the time the restaurant was (and may still be) part owned by Sir Michael Caine.
I was intrigued to find that this same restaurant recently received media attention for having what is claimed to be the hottest curry in the world – the Bollywood Burner. The Bollywood Burner is a lamb curry with naga chili peppers, which are said to be more than 100 times hotter than jalapeno chili peppers (wow!). Diners are required to sign a legal disclaimer before eating the curry.
What fascinates me with the story is that the dish itself is not practical – it is too hot for anyone to eat and enjoy their meal. However, as a marketing tool it is pure genius. Most Indian restaurants are much the same as each other, with similar menus and similar ambience. While The Cinnamon Club has always been differentiated from your standard corner balti house, having the ‘hottest curry in the world’ further differentiates this restaurant from the masses. The extreme assertion of the ‘hottest curry in the world’ also violates our expectations – we don’t come across this every day so we and the media pay attention. Finally the ‘hottest curry in the world’ story is memorable – it sticks in our mind. If we lived in London and wanted an Indian meal or were asked to recommend an Indian restaurant, The Cinnamon Club would surely be front of mind because of this unexpected story.
Check out this YouTube clip of Jonathan Ross and Steve Carell tasting the Bollywood Burner – it’s a great laugh.
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