Dave’s Hot Chicken confirms London opening date

Dave’s Hot Chicken has revealed it is “unsure” about selling its famously spicy Reaper chicken at its first UK outlet, which is opening next month in London’s Piccadilly.

 

The brand’s painfully spicy Reaper chicken requires customers to sign a waiver to try it. Many have filmed themselves taking on the challenge on social media, attracting millions of views.

 

The cult chicken chain was founded in Los Angeles in 2017 by three Armenian-American childhood friends, including chef Dave Kopushyan, the brand’s namesake, who worked at Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-starred French Laundry in California before developing the brand’s spicy chicken recipe.

 

Dave’s Hot Chicken is now backed by Canadian rapper Drake and has grown to over 200 sites in the US in six years.

 

In July, the chicken brand announced it has signed a deal with Zizzi operator Azzurri Group to open 60 Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants in the UK.

 

Council documents seen in September showed that Azzurri Group had submitted proposals to display a series of illuminated signs at Vernon House, 40 Shaftesbury Avenue, which was believed to be Dave’s Hot Chicken’s first London site.

 

It has since been confirmed the UK’s first Dave’s Hot Chicken will open there on 7 December as a two-floor, 90-cover site offering six spice levels, ranging from No Spice to Extra Hot.

 

Dave’s Hot Chicken said it was “unsure” about adding the Reaper to the menu after one of the five tasters apparently ran out “after just one bite”.

 

In an announcement to press, the chicken chain said: “The decision to include the risky Carolina Reaper is yet to be made”.

 

Jim Attwood, managing director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “After conducting taste tests here in the UK, we found the Reaper to be so hot that it left participants crying from the sheer heat of the spice mix.

 

“We are still in discussions as to whether the Reaper will make it onto UK plates. Of course, if the nation truly wants to test the hottest chicken in the world, we could be convinced.” 

 

Bill Phelps, chief executive of Dave’s Hot Chicken, added: “From frying hot chicken in an LA parking lot with nothing but $900 and a dream to set up shop in one of the most iconic cities in the world, we’ve come a long way – and we’re only getting started.

 

“We’ve worked tirelessly with our UK team to deliver the bold flavours and tongue-tingling spice that have made us a cult sensation here in the US. This opening marks the first in our plan to open up to 60 restaurants across both the UK and Ireland in the coming years.”