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Home » Travel » ZestFest Brings the Heat to Irving TX

ZestFest Brings the Heat to Irving TX

By: Liz  /  Published: December 4, 2019  /  Updated: December 24, 2020  /   Leave a comment

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If you love hot and spicy food, you won’t want to miss the annual ZestFest in Irving TX where everything sizzles! Can you take the heat?

One of the largest events of its kind in the country, ZestFest brings together fans of the hotter things in life for three days of zesty food and entertainment.

I went to ZestFest as part of a press trip so I thought I’d share a little of what you can expect from the hottest festival in Irving, Texas.

ZestFest Irving TX

What to Do at ZestFest in Irving TX

Feed Your Fire

Aisles and aisles of the ‘hottest’ products available on the market were lined up in one big room for attendees to taste and buy, and some of them were winners in ZestFest’s Fiery Food Challenge which took place earlier in the week.

The prestigious Golden Chile Award is the most coveted prize (after three days of competition), but there are 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each category.

Look for the award ribbons when you’re browsing the displays. Those are the definite must-tastes!

I sampled kicked-up versions of everything from salsa and BBQ sauce to peanuts, toffee, chocolate and jelly. The explosions of heat and flavor ranged from mild to “hot damn” and I bought a bunch of my favorites to take home and share.

booth at ZestFest
booth at ZestFest
booth at ZestFest
booth at ZestFest
 a woman standing in front of a barrel
A group of people standing around a table
Hawaiian honey cones (for when your tastebuds need to cool down).

Atomic Wing Challenge

Dozens of brave (or foolish) souls raced to be the first to finish eight boneless wings bathed in Wingstop’s famous Atomic’ly hot habanero sauce and it was a definite sight to see.

Those vying for prizes (a big screen TV or WingStop gift cards) in the Atomic Wing Challenge had to sign a waiver before hitting the stage and they had to make it through a qualifying heat before getting to the final round. 

That meant eating a basket of fire more than once!

And not everyone was up to the challenge. 

They all started out fine but once the capsaicin kicked in, things got real. Eyes started watering, tears started flowing and fully grown adults turned into whimpering babies.

man eating atomic wings
A group of people in a hot wings contest
A man drinking milk at a table
A man eating hot wings
a man eating hot wings

I was totally rooting for this guy (below) who won his qualifying round with ease.

A man sitting at a table eating hot wings
A man giving thumbs up

But there was another guy who didn’t flinch from the fire and was even faster — Brandon Clark (aka Da Garbage Disposal), a professional competitive eater.

He plowed through those wings and took home the grand prize in 27 seconds.

contestant in hot wings contest
Look at this intense focus.

Need more heat? There’s also a PuckerButt Pepper Eating Challenge and an even hotter Melt Your Face Challenge.

Celebrity Cooking Demonstrations

I could have watched cooking demos all day long but then I wouldn’t have been able to taste as much. Priorities.

But I did catch Shaun O’Neale, MasterChef Season 7 winner and author of the My Modern American Table cookbook. He prepared Nashville hot chicken while telling stories and answering questions about his MasterChef experience.

Fun fact about MasterChef: When the pantry produce is starting to lose its freshness, the crew can “grocery shop” and take it home so it won’t go to waste.

posing with Chef Shaun ONeale
After his demo, he signed copies of his cookbook.

Eddie Deen’s Pig Roast at ZestFest

Limited tickets are available for a dinner of whole roasted pig, BBQ ribs, brisket and a variety of side dishes. Tickets also include a beer or soft drink. It’s a very popular event and usually sells out.

The food was incredible!

A plate of food with rice meat and vegetables

ZestFest takes place over the weekend so each day offers varied entertainment. If you love all things tangy, this is the festival for you!

Get your tickets for the January 24-26, 2020 ZestFest in Irving, TX!

Need a hotel in Irving, Texas near the convention center? I stayed at The Texican Court directly across the street from the festival and loved it.

If you’re into outdoor sculptures or have time to see a live production, check out the Irving Arts Center while in town and connect with the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau for more info on the area.

Related topics
Texas TravelIrving South Texas ZestFest

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

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Meet Liz

Hey there, i’m Liz!

I’m the founder of Eat Move Make and a North Carolina mom of two humans and six cats. I love to cook, bake, craft and travel. I’m also addicted to tea (but not sweet tea).

When I’m not creating something in my kitchen, and since my kids are now adults, I’m all about my bucket list of travel destinations and adventures.

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