Judge the awards.

EHSA 2027 is a live tasting congress in Berlin. We’re looking for professional, non-entering members of the hot sauce and wider food industry to join the judging panel.

Who we’re looking for.

Chefs, food and drink critics, culinary educators, hot sauce retailers, distributors, and other food-industry professionals with a genuine working knowledge of spicy food. This isn’t open to the general public or to anyone entering a sauce this year — the panel is kept strictly independent and professional.

Requirements

✓Professional standing in the hot sauce, food, or drinks industry — chefs, critics, writers, educators, retailers, and distributors are all welcome
✓Not currently entering a sauce into this year’s competition, to keep judging independent
✓Able to attend the congress in Berlin in person for the judging dates
✓Comfortable giving structured, detailed tasting feedback

How it works.

Apply

Tell us a little about your professional background and why you want to judge.

We review

Every application is checked by our team — we’re looking for genuine industry experience.

Approval & invitation

If you’re approved, we’ll invite you to join the panel and send full details, including the participation fee to attend — food, drink, and hospitality are included throughout.

Judge live in Berlin

Taste, score, and help decide who takes the podium alongside your fellow judges.

Ready to apply?

Tell us about your background and we’ll be in touch once applications open.

Apply to judge