Agrotime staff visited Olivér Kőszegi, a hot pepper producer who despite his youth has won many local and international awards. Since then, the Olchili brand, which was established in 2017, has become famous all over the country thanks to the media attention. Donáta Bánavölgyi, host of Agrotime, took a deep breath and a large glass of milk to savor the sauce made with the world’s second-strongest chili pepper as well as several of Olivér’s products.
Twenty-two-year-old Oliver Koszegi, a graduate of Horticultural Engineering from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, tasted his first chili pepper when he was five years old, and his passion for the spice has not been interrupted since then. At the age of 16-17, he tasted several types of hot peppers, and then decided to grow different types of hot peppers himself, so in 2017 he created the Olcheli Garden, where about 1,900 seedlings of hot peppers are currently growing.
He’s set up a complete irrigation system for the garden, and he’s covered the planted area with a film of mulch, which protects soil texture, retains moisture, and last but not least, reduces weeds—all you have to do is fertilize the soil.
His work in agriculture has been recognized literally by the profession several times, and he has achieved podium positions in both Hungarian and international competitions (USA, UK). Recently, at the largest and most prestigious chili cookery competition in the USA, this year’s ZEST FEST Fiery Food Challenge World Championships in Dallas, his product won gold in the Hot Sauce: Mild/Medium Fruity category.
Donata tasted many of these things and, against expectations, did well in the mud, but after tasting the world’s second hottest chili pepper, he admitted to the cameras that he had truly become a domestic dragon. But correct self-esteem is the basis for balance …
