On the second season of The Mind of a Chef, Sean Brock tries the notoriously hot chicken at Nashville's Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, the restaurant credited with inventing the extra-spicy dish. With the Catbird Seat chef Erik Anderson in tow, Brock orders the "extra hot" plate — to the chagrin of the waitstaff — despite his nerves. "I've always loved spicy things, but I was terrified walking into Prince's," Brock says. "Completely terrified."
Brock digs into the dish — whose "secrets are so closely guarded, that not for any amount of money or any amount of fame will they allow a camera into those kitchens" — then things get weird and a little "painful," complete with some tales of prostitution for good measure. "You're not eating hot chicken because you're starving to death, you're eating it to push the bounds of reality," Brock says. "Sometimes, you need to stick your hand in the fire to remind yourself that it's hot, you know?"
Video: Sean Brock Visits Prince's Hot Chicken on Season 2 of The Mind of a Chef
The second season of The Mind of a Chef premieres this weekend; check PBS for local listings.
· Sean Brock Visits Prince's Hot Chicken on Season 2 of The Mind of a Chef [YouTube]
· All Sean Brock Coverage on Eater [-E-]