A Brief History of Spicy Bowl
In 2014, Garret Zallen accidentally ate a Fatali pepper, not knowing how hot the little vegetable would be. He wrongfully accused his girlfriend Angela (now wife) of trying to murder him. Rather than trying to get her back, he paid forward the deed to his friend Kevin Modeste, spouse of Garret’s co-worker, Kim Ruscher. A battle ensued - could Garret make food too spicy for Kevin? How could Kevin tolerate such hot food? Kevin grew up with food seasoned with scotch bonnets, ghost and other peppers in Trinidad. Few places in Eugene can serve food with that level of heat.
Kevin and Kim decided to host a potluck for friends who shared a love of spicy food. (Disclaimer - Kim can barely handle medium heat, but loves parties). Around 20 people joined in the Modeste-Ruscher kitchen for a potluck, and the food was immensely popular. Garret’s Scorpion Ribs were deemed the best item out that night. It was decided that the group would arrange another event, and that it might be a great fundraiser for a local charity.
Since the second Spicy Bowl in 2015, the event has raised over $20,000 for Eugene non-profits. The planning committee is proud to have supported WellMama, with 80+ attendees raising over $4,000. In 2016, Spicy Bowl teamed up with FOOD For Lane County, and the event continued to grow. SB III raised $7,237.00 which provided 21,711 meals. It became apparent that the event was outgrowing the Modeste-Ruscher home, and SB IV moved to the FFLC warehouse on Bailey Hill Road.
