Imagine hosting an unforgettable party where laughter mixes with tears and sweat, all thanks to the fiery challenge of hot wings. If this description excites you, you should definitely throw a Hot Ones party.
The party is based on the popular YouTube series Hot Ones. It’s renowned for pushing its guests to their limits, making it an ideal backdrop for lively discussions and unforgettable memories.
But be warned, the aftermath of spicy indulgence isn’t for the faint-hearted – we’re talking potential plumbing issues and borderline inappropriate conversations.
Use this guide to help you navigate the unique aspects of hosting and planning a Hot Ones party so it’s both memorable and manageable.
How to Throw a Hot Ones Party
What is Hot Ones?
I first heard about Hot Ones through my husband, Chris.
If you’re not familiar, Hot Ones is a wildly popular series on YouTube created by Sean Evans. Celebrity guests are interviewed with hot questions while eating progressively spicy chicken wings doused in different hot sauces.
The show has gained a massive following due to the high-profile celebrities that appear, it’s unique format, and the hilarious reactions of its guests as they navigate their way through the lineup of hot sauces.
Hot Ones has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless spicy food enthusiasts to take on their own wing challenges and even host their own Hot Ones parties (just like us).
Why should you throw a Hot Ones party?
Throwing a Hot Ones party is a fantastic way to bring friends together. Here are a few reasons why:
- It’s entertaining. The Hot Ones challenge provides plenty of laughs, excitement, and memorable moments as your guests attempt to handle the heat. It’s a guaranteed recipe for an entertaining and engaging gathering.
- Share the burn. Just like my toddler likes to remind me, sharing is caring. Eating hot wings is a communal activity that brings people together. The shared experience of taking on the spice challenge creates a bond among friends and provides a topic of conversation that lasts long after the party is over.
- Spicy is fun. If you and your friends are adventurous eaters or spicy food enthusiasts, a Hot Ones party offers an opportunity to test your taste buds and push your limits. It’s a chance to explore different flavors and heat levels in a fun and somewhat controlled environment.
- It’s unique. Hosting a Hot Ones party sets your gathering apart from the usual dinner parties or casual get-togethers. It’s a theme that adds an element of excitement and curiosity, making your event stand out in the memories of your guests. Guests will less likely to bail or cancel last-minute as they’ll be excited to participate.
How to Throw Your Own Hot Ones Party
While there aren’t any strict rules about how to throw your own Hot Ones party, here are some guidelines to help you plan and host one. I’ve only hosted two, but I’ve quickly learned what works and what doesn’t.
1. Pick a date and send out invitations.
Choose a date that works for you and your guests. Send out invitations that capture the spirit of the event, mentioning the Hot Ones challenge and encouraging guests to come prepared for a spicy adventure. It doesn’t need to be a formal invite, a text message, like the screenshot below, will work perfectly fine.
As the host, I recommend providing the wings and possibly the hot sauces, too. This way you know you’ll have enough wings to go around and the order in which you’ll serve the hot sauces.
You can ask guests to contribute a dish when you invite them and suggest they bring cooling dishes such as potato salad, tzatziki and pita, watermelon and feta salad, focaccia, guac and tortilla chips, or ice-cream.
It’s also expected they BYOB unless you feel like providing this, too.
For our particular Hot Ones party, I also asked people to think of a couple of spicy questions so I could read out a couple of them every round. Here are some questions one of our friends sent me for my husband’s birthday party.
I gathered responses from everybody in a Notes doc on my phone and referred to these questions for each round of wings during our party.
Alternatively, you can purchase Truth or Dab.
2. Gather your hot sauces.
A rather important component a Hot Ones party is, of course, the hot sauces. In the YouTube show, they taste 10 different hot sauces. But, personally I think 6 or 7 different hot sauces is plenty.
You can purchase pre-packaged Hot Ones sauce sets from Heatonist or assemble your own collection by researching popular and well-regarded hot sauces. Make sure to include a few familiar favorites as well as some lesser-known brands for a diverse flavor experience.
See more about how hot sauces are rated and how to pick ones for your event below.
3. Buy/prepare your wings.
Decide on the number of wings you’ll need based on the number of guests and where you’ll source your wings from. I recommend 10 wings per person. Some guests will not make it through all the rounds but I like to heat up at least one wing per person per round, even if I’m not saucing all of them.
You also need to decide whether you want to make our own wings, or buy them pre-cooked.
I’ve thrown a Hot Ones party twice and done it both ways and highly recommend the latter. I pre-ordered wings on Uber Eats from a popular wings spot and had them delivered, just after guests arrived. I reheated each batch of wings in the air fryer and it worked out amazing.
Fun Fact: I was once picked up in university at a house viewing. The guy I was making eyes with came back to get my number while I was still busy doing a tour and filling out the application. We both filled out applications for the house. Neither of us got it but we did go out on a couple of dates.
4. Figure out logistics.
Ask your guests to arrive on time so you can start your party promptly. If you have latecomers, they’ll interrupt the flow and miss out on the earlier rounds of hot wings which sort of defeats the purpose of the event.
Since I decided to order pre-cooked chicken wings, I made sure the order arrived no later than 30 minutes after the start time of my party.
For every batch of wings you serve, I recommend tossing the hot wings in a bowl of hot sauce and melted butter. I used about a tablespoon of hot sauce mixed in with the butter. Try and use an equal amount of hot sauce for each round and ensure the wings are evenly coated.
Serve each batch of wings on a large plate and let your guests dig in.
After each round of hot wings are served, ask the group a question or two to get conversations going. At first it might feel a bit forced but believe me, your guests will enjoy it.
Fun Fact: I was once picked up in university at a house viewing. The guy I was making eyes with came back to get my number while I was still busy doing a tour and filling out the application. We both filled out applications for the house. Neither of us got it but we did go out on a couple of dates.
5. Side dishes and drinks.
You can choose to provide a range of dipping sauces, such as ranch or blue cheese, or let your guests eat the wings on their own. Ask guests to bring their own drinks and provide water and milk to help cool down their mouths as the night (and heat levels) progress.
I also provided some rubber gloves for the hotter rounds. I’d read that people mistakenly touched body parts they didn’t mean to touch after handling the hotter wings, which I’m sure you can imagine made things extra uncomfortable.
FAQ
Q: How do you rate your hot sauces from mild to spicy? Scolville is a tool for measuring the spiciness or pungency of hot peppers. Many hot sauces have a Scolville rating and this is the best indicator of spiciness (it’s also what the show uses). For example, Frank’s Red is only 450 SHU while Tabasco is 3750. And, a particular well-known spicy hot sauce, Pain 100%, is rated at a whopping 40,600 SHU.
Q: How do you throw a Hot Ones party and make it affordable? Make it a potluck or offer to purchase everything and ask guests to contribute a $ amount. You can also try DIY hot sauces which adds a personal touch to your event. Another way to make a Hot Ones party more affordable is to check local grocery stores or online retailers for deals on wings and hot sauces that can help you save money while still providing a fantastic spread.
Q: What if some guests can’t handle spicy food? This might not be the party for them. Kidding. Make sure to have non-spicy options available, such as plain wings or milder sauces, to accommodate guests with different heat tolerances. You can also choose to offer a range of dipping sauces and cooling elements to balance the spiciness.
Q: How to make it a potluck so guests are involved? Turning your Hot Ones party into a potluck not only reduces your workload but also gets your guests actively involved. Coordinate contributions by assigning each guest or couple a category or specific dish to bring. For example, one guest can bring a salad, another can bring a dessert, and so on. This ensures a well-rounded meal and prevents duplicate dishes.
Q: Can I customize the heat level for each guest? Absolutely! Provide a variety of sauces with different heat levels, allowing guests to choose their preferred level of spiciness. You can even label each sauce with its Scoville rating to help guests gauge the heat.
Q: What if someone has dietary restrictions? Request that guests inform you of any dietary restrictions when they RSVP. This way, you can plan accordingly and ensure there are suitable options available for everyone.
Q: Is there a specific order in which the sauces should be served? Yes. Follow the Hot Ones tradition and serve the sauces in ascending order of heat. This builds up the spice level gradually and adds to the excitement and challenge.
Q: Should I provide any other entertainment besides the wing challenge? While the Hot Ones challenge is the main attraction, you can enhance the party atmosphere by preparing a question for each round or batch of wings you taste. This keeps the conversation flowing and ties into the show.
Q: Can I have a prize for the participant who handles the spiciest sauce: Absolutely! Consider awarding a “Spice Champion” prize to the guest who conquers the hottest sauce. It adds a fun competitive element to the event and makes it more memorable.
Wrapping it Up
Remember to have fun, embrace the heat, and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable participating at their own pace. Throwing a Hot Ones party is a unique and memorable experience that’ll surely spice up your gathering and leave your guests craving more.
If you used this guide to throw your own Hot Ones party, I’d love to hear how it went.
