New Bedford's Spiciest Challenge Supports Teen’s Kidney Fight

What started as a fiery food dare has turned into a heartwarming act of community support.

Brandon Sadeck, owner of Smashed NB in downtown New Bedford, recently put a charitable twist on his infamous Hot Chicken Challenge – a gauntlet that dares brave souls to devour six blisteringly spicy chicken tenders in under five minutes, with no beverages or condiments allowed.

Now, every dollar raised from that challenge is going to Michael Blechar-Melancon, a New Bedford teenager in urgent need of a kidney transplant.

Courtesy Amanda DaSilva

“A customer came in and was talking about this family whose son was in desperate need of a kidney, so I reached out to his mom,” Sadeck said. “She told me the situation; they’re going through hard times with bills because they’re both out of work. So I figured, if we’re making a profit on it, we might as well give a couple days to them that could use it.”

No One Has Yet Completed New Bedford's Spiciest Challenge

Since launching the challenge, Sadeck estimates about 150 people have stepped up to the plate – or flamed out – trying to take home the prize that's now up to a whopping $2,700.

The closest anyone has gotten so far? Five out of the six tenders.

Get our free mobile app

Money Spent on the Challenge Will Go to Michael's Family

Each attempt at the challenge costs $30, and instead of going into the restaurant's register, that money is now being donated directly to the teen’s family.

“I got a son too,” Sadeck said. “When I reached out to the mom, I felt bad. I know they’re going through a hard time, so I just wanted to help them out if we could.”

The Hot Chicken Challenge May Soon Come to an End

While it’s uncertain how much longer the challenge will continue, Sadeck hinted at more food-based events in the future, including some that don’t require taste buds of steel.

“We’re definitely going to add some more food challenges in, like for people that don’t like spicy," he said. "We’re just going to add big food challenges, too.”

One thing is clear: this challenge is now about more than just the heat. It's also about heart.

Courtesy Amanda DaSilva

The SouthCoast Hot Wing Project

WBSM's Tim Weisberg and his son Adam spent six months touring the SouthCoast area from New Bedford to Fall River to Dartmouth to Norton and beyond, trying some of the supposed hottest wings around – and also gave some other unique wing flavors a shot, too. Sadly, not all of them are still around, but the project lives on in spicy infamy.

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg

The Best of South Shore Bar Pizza

There's pizza, and then there's South Shore Bar Pizza. Birthed in Brockton (and to this writer, perfected in Randolph – Lynwood Café is the true G.O.A.T.), it must meet certain qualifications to be considered "SSBP," which include: it's a 10-inch pie; it has a thin, cracker-like crust with minimal "flop;" the cheese is a blend that features more cheddar than mozzarella; and bonus points if you take it home between two carboard-type plates wrapped in flat brown paper bag. They also usually come with "laced" or "burnt" edges (terminology depends on where you are ordering), which is when the sauce and cheese are extended all the way to the edge of the pan, creating a crispy, flavorful coating to the crust. We reached out to the hugely popular South Shore Bar Pizza Social Club Facebook group to ask the experts to share the best of the best (in no particular order).

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg

All Aboard the South Shore Bar Pizza Train

One of the benefits of the new South Coast Rail commuter train connection New Bedford to Boston is that there are 11 good South Shore Bar Pizza stops en route.

Gallery Credit: Tim Weisberg