such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, oranges, carob syrup and extra virgin olive oil, named after the small island south of Malta, that may have derived its name from Felfel, or pepper in Maltese: Best in Category gold with BUWĠI, silver with FILFLI, bronze with XEMXI
Maltese food sits on the Mediterranean's southernmost edge, with a kitchen culture built on olive groves, orange trees and natural ingredients. Filfla Chilli Co., a craft artisanal company run by Malcolm Ricci, has placed three times at the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 (heatawards.eu), Europe's flagship hot sauce competition: gold and Best in Category in Chilli Paste with BUWĠI, silver in Sambal, Chutney and Pickles with FILFLI, and bronze in Sambal, Chutney and Pickles with XEMXI.
Nathan Austin on EHSA's Chili Paste field:
"Chili Paste at EHSA usually means fermented or vinegar-based builds with the chili at the centre. BUWĠI runs the other architecture, a Mediterranean olive-tapenade structure with the chili layered through, which is a different build from anything else in this year's Chili Paste field. The Best in Category gold says the panel rated it the strongest one in." – Nathan Austin, Tasting Editor, Republic of Heat
BUWĠI (gold and Best in Category, Chili Paste): a Maltese chili paste built off green and kalamata olives, sultanas, green chillies and extra virgin olive oil, gently heated and blended by hand. An olive-tapenade-style backbone with the chilli layered through. Works on bruschetta, grilled fish, lamb plates and the Maltese ftira platter.
FILFLI (silver, Sambal, Chutney and Pickles): the second Filfla Chilli Co. placement of 2026, in the Sambal, Chutney and Pickles category, the spread-and-pickle register that goes with chicken, tuna, pasta, pizza, or even charcuterie platters
XEMXI (bronze, Sambal, Chutney and Pickles): the third placement, in the same Sambal, Chutney and Pickles category. `Xemxi` is the Maltese word for sun, the bright Mediterranean register that runs through the range, which goes great with salmon, pork, duck, stir fries or even infused in a gin and tonic.
"We are incredibly proud of this. BUWĠI is a Maltese chili paste, with green and kalamata olives, sultanas, green chillies and extra virgin olive oil. I wanted to create my own version of an olive tapenade, with the sultanas added to bring in a sweet element. Buwġi, pronounced boowji, is an invented word, an adjective in form that denotes something containing or made of olives, since the Maltese word for olives is żebbuġ, (zebbooj).” – Malcolm Ricci, Filfla Chilli Co.
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 ran over 200 sauces from across the continent through blind tasting this year, scored on five criteria by a deliberately mixed panel of chefs, sommeliers, critics and chilli specialists. Best in Category is awarded to the single highest- scoring sauce per category, and Filfla Chilli Co. took it in Chili Paste, with two further Sambal, Chutney and Pickles placements backing the depth of the line. "That's a one-person Maltese kitchen taking Best in Category in Chili Paste and adding two further placements in Sambal, Chutney and Pickles. EHSA exists to surface exactly that kind of result, and we're watching closely for what Filfla Chilli Co. brings next year." – Neil Numb, Founder, European Hot Sauce Awards
BUWĠI, FILFLI and XEMXI are available through locally through a number of stores across the island, as well as online at filflachilli.co.
Full EHSA 2026 results across all 16 categories: heatawards.eu/results/2026? utm_source=press_release&utm_medium=press&utm_campaign=ehsa2026&utm_content=filfla .
The European Hot Sauce Awards 2026 are announced ahead of the Berlin Chili Fest, 29–31 May 2026. Republic of Heat's EHSA 2026 Top 3 winner box is live at republicofheat.com/de-en/discovery-set/euhsa_top3, with further EHSA selection boxes at republicofheat.com/de-en/hot-sauce-sets.
PRESS RESOURCES Press kit (photos, logos, AI lifestyle composites credited Republic of Heat / European Hot Sauce Awards 2026): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ 1eFdbvvIhNN664SHTOe3K_zwp0Q-gs24S?usp=drive_link
ABOUT FILFLA CHILLI CO. Filfla Chilli Co. is a craft hot chutney kitchen in H'Attard, central Malta, founded and run by Malcolm Ricci. The brand takes its name from Filfla, the small uninhabited island south of Malta. The range is built off Mediterranean staples: olives, extra virgin olive oil, oranges and sun-dried tomatoes, with each sauce gently heated, cooked and blended by hand. BUWĠI, FILFLI and XEMXI are available at filflachilli.co.
ABOUT THE EUROPEAN HOT SAUCE AWARDS The European Hot Sauce Awards (EHSA) is the professional competition for commercially produced hot sauces in Europe, run annually since 2024 from heatawards.eu. EHSA was born out of the Berlin Chili Festival, which has run since 2019 and returns 29–31 May 2026, and became an independent competition in 2024. Over 200 sauces from producers across the continent were entered in 2026. Entries are judged blind across five criteria: aroma, heat profile, flavour, creativity and finish. The 2026 edition covers 16 categories, with first, second and third places awarded in each. EHSA is run independently of any single producer or retailer.
ABOUT REPUBLIC OF HEAT Republic of Heat is a European hot sauce subscription designed to show off the flavours coming out of Europe and help solve the distribution problem independent makers face. Founded June 2025 in Berlin by Nathan "Naga" Austin and Simon "Scoville" Gardner. The Discovery subscription delivers three handpicked craft sauces plus a spicy extra to subscribers across the EU each month. Press partner of the European Hot Sauce Awards 2026. republicofheat.com.
PRESS CONTACT Press: Republic of Heat, on behalf of European Hot Sauce Awards contact@republicofheat.com +49 176 41601284
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