Imagine having a hobby, passion and obsession, and the opportunity to work in your dream job?
This aptly describes what it’s like being a Chilli Head working at the UK’s oldest, largest and most established and varied chilli company – The South Devon Chilli Farm: ‘The Home of British Chillies’
Before we get to how or why I came to work here…
What is a Chilli Head?
The term is used to describe someone who loves everything to do with those hot south American fruits, whose varying heat levels now seem to dominate almost every continent, and every cuisine.
From sowing and growing plants, to cooking, eating, preserving and discovering, this is a hobby almost without comparison (although Petrol Heads may disagree!).
Sometimes a Chilli Head could simply be someone who loves spice so much, that it is liberally poured, sprinkled, dusted or stirred into every meal – I mean who doesn’t like habanero sauce over beans on toast?
But the most surprising aspect of the chilli world is the sheer number of varieties that are globally available. When I started my journey, the consensus was that we had around 1000 to 2000 to choose from. In just a few short years this number has doubled and continues to grow as hobbyists forge their own varieties.
So, I am a Chilli Head.
I have been since my first curry in 1988, followed by the emergence of Jamie Oliver making it ‘cool to cook’ (and that boy loves adding spice to his dishes).
Since those formative years I’ve been the one who enhances his beans on toast and virtually every meal in between.
But it wasn’t until I left my corporate life and the tandem life of a musician behind, that I needed to find ‘something to keep me out of trouble’ as my wife so kindly put it. Also, my 5 children were growing up fast and no longer found my jokes funny…
Side Note – the perception of a chilli head is that we eat the hottest chillies imaginable. Actually, most chilli heads (and you reading this may just be one yourself) is that we find our own level and stick to it. I can eat up to habanero level (around the same as a scotch bonnet – around 250,000 Scoville units) but you’ll more likely find me knocking on the door of a decent jalapeno as it gives me the flavour and heat without the ‘pause for thought’ or questioning my life choices…
Side Note Two – REAL fresh jalapenos, like the ones grown here on the farm, are very spicy – nothing like the sad small things found in supermarkets or in a jar of vinegar. If you can, buy some fresh from SDCF and see for yourself!
Discovering My Green Fingers
The ultimate adventure of my chilli journey would be to grow, pick and cook my own chillies.
An Idle wander around a well-known DIY store one day led me to discover that mini chilli plants are a thing. So, I bought a few. Now, just to set the scene, I can kill a cactus, so I wasn’t expecting much to be honest.
However, thankfully we now have the internet where, surprisingly, I could find every piece of advice (good and bad) possible in caring for my new ‘babies’. Those first 5 plants exploded with life and, following a few simple rules, produced actual fruit – we ate well that summer!
Around the same time, I had become aware of the one destination every chilli head must head to – a pilgrimage of sorts, and that’s to the South Devon Chilli Farm.
Making the family go on numerous holidays to Devon (other counties are available) meant I could indulge myself in coming down to this special place.
You are first met with the road sign letting you know your search is at an end. Once parked up, you enter the shop which is quite simply like Chilli Christmas.
There are a mind-boggling number of sauces, jams, chutneys, chocolate and dried chillies, that mean you are sampling hot sauce from the word go, scooping up bottles of it as you decide each one is your favourite.
Then there’s the seed selection (which we’ll come back to).
Before picking out what I’d grow in late winter the next year, the sign to the Show Tunnel caught my eye. And those words did not disappoint. It was indeed a true showcase of the sheer number of different plants and varieties grown on the farm each year.
Wandering down one aisle, then back up the other, you are immersed into a different world altogether. Each variety of differing colours, heat levels, shapes and sizes of chillies, are (thankfully) accompanied by little information cards so that, if you’re canny enough, by the time the rest of your family catch up, you can just uber knowledgeable.
Another Note – it may be worth pointing out here, that should you be tempted to pick and try one of the chillies on show, check first that all your children have, between them, enough cold refreshments in their backpacks, to put out the resulting fire.
Out of the show tunnel you can peek into the other 6 large polytunnels containing the ‘crop’ that the chilli farm grown for all their produce and seed stock.
As you peer into each one, you are met with the view of tree-top rows of chilli plants and a kaleidoscope of colour bursts making you wish you had a bigger greenhouse back at home.
Back at the shop it was time for seed selection. The challenge is to narrow it down from the 100 or so to choose from. Do I go for heat? Early fruiting? Purple varieties just because they look so cool? Luckily the staff have seen bewilderment before and soon help you make more sensible choices.
And so, each year I’ve ordered everything from the chilli farm, from seeds, sauces, gift packs (you should have seen my parents faces light up as I presented them with a lovingly gift-wrapped extreme sauce set), plug plants and even fully grown plants. In addition, I’ve made full use of their advice and encouragement along the way.
Hello Neighbour?
So just a short couple of years ago I found myself living not 5 miles from my favourite place in the whole wide world.
Having spent a few years running my own hospitality businesses, I had finally reached the time of life to hope for at least 1 day off, so was looking for something new.
During one of my weekly visits to the chilli farm, I suddenly wondered how lucky those who worked at the chilli farm were. I mean, I knew the place back to front, could grow, make sauces and even advise others new to the chilli community what to do (and importantly, what not to do).
My epiphany led me, in mid-March, to checking the website for vacancies – there were none but I thought I’d ask anyway.
Detailing what I thought was my all-encompassing array of knowledge (I’ve since found out I knew but the basics) I contacted the farm, and Jenny (one of the owners), more in hope than expectation.
To my absolute delight I was asked to pop down for a chat, which must have gone well, and I joined almost immediately!
As I write this, I’ve been here for over 7 months and can genuinely tell you it excites me every day. And every day is different to the last. I also get up before my alarm every day too (no, it’s not age related) which is unheard of.
There is so much more than I ever thought in running a successful commercial chilli farm and the tasks come in cycles. From sowing, potting up, packing and sending out, plant care in both the nurseries and polytunnels, picking the finest fresh chillies to order, to using the ride-on mower (just mind your head in the orchard). And so much more.
And maybe, once the Christmas Markets have finished and I get the chance to drink a little chilli vodka by the fire, I may just let you know what a Year On The Chilli Farm is like.
Until then I’ve got to get the day’s Jalapenos out of the smoker.
Life’s a good ‘un.