How much HEAT, is too much? A nation dividing question, either you want the heat to blow your head off or you are afraid to touch anything attached to the word ‘hot’ for the fear of blowing your head off. These widespread views have never stopped chefs from creating masterpieces to showcase what adding a little bit of heat can do; sensational pairings to create a complexity of tastes while demonstrating the diverse nature of heat on a dish.

In recent years, the perception of heat has changed as consumers become more open to trying new favours from across the world, many incorporating varying levels of heat. During the pandemic the market saw a rise in consumers experimenting with different products to experience different tastes and the sensation that came with it – whether it’s a cooling sensation from mint, the bitter-sweet tang from citrus or the tingly sensation from heat, consumers want it all.

Adding heat to any dish has always been an artform, the ability to correctly balance flavour with sensation. With plenty of heat sources to choose from, a variety of sensations are created – chilli is known to provide a fiery burn at the back of the tongue whereas wasabi or horseradish is known to
stimulate the nose.

Not only do these spicy ingredients create different sensations but additionally require different flavours to balance a dish out. In Asian cuisine heat is often paired with fragrant and aromatic flavours, while Caribbean cuisine is known famously for its balance of chilli heat and spices to provide that exclusive jerk chicken flavour, alternatively Mexican cuisine uses ingredients like creamy avocado to cut the heat in dishes.