3 Brothers Turns Up the Heat on National Television

Eric Fortney

Brothers Rob & Eric Fortney, owners of 3 Brothers Craft Brew House, are hosting a TV viewing party and the Fireball Eating Challenge to celebrate their appearance on Last Call Food Brawl on the Destination America network on July 7 at 11 a.m.

Each episode of Last Call Food Brawl challenges four chefs in a different American city to a cook-off to determine who will be crowned the king or queen of late-night bites. The Nashville episode features a hot chicken-inspired “Wings Insanos” challenge.

Eric “Chef Erock” Fortney says, “I created a sweet and spicy, terrifying version wrapped in bacon” of the Nashville phenomenon hot chicken on the show. Fortney’s recipe will be debuted at the restaurant the same evening of the Hot Wings and Queso episode of Last Call Food Brawl. Word has it that Chef Erock’s fiery culinary creation yielded great results on the show.

Hot chicken is to Nashville as barbecued ribs are to Memphis. The Music City Hot Chicken Festival’s website says hot chicken is “an intensely spicy seasoned cut of leg or breast meat on the bone, served on a slice of white bread (which, for the newbies, acts like a sponge for sopping up the fiery sauce and spices).”

The Fireball Challenge will ask participants to eat three pieces of Chef Erock’s hot chicken and three pieces of Fireball Fritters, another one of 3 Brothers’ signature foods.

“The fastest time is crowned Fireball King,” says Rob, “and their picture will hang on the wall until someone beats their time.”

The challenge will have competitors sweating through their socks, possibly running through the restaurant in pain or doing an impromptu, cayenne-fueled hot chicken dance. Says Rob, “3 Brothers makes food built for beer, and hot chicken will definitely go with our 28 local craft beers.”

For more information on 3 Brothers, visit 3brothersfamily.com or like 3 Brothers on Facebook.

Eric Fortney wraps chicken in bacon, then dredges each piece in cornstarch before they hit the deep fryer. Then, they are coated in a seasoning as sweet as it is spicy.