In his search for the perfect chili con carne, Heston travels not to Texas where one might expect, but rather a chili cook-off in Washington, D.C. There, he learns that the key to the perfect chili is the chilies themselves, and which blend of chilies to use. On that topic, he is also curious as to why humans are so attracted to the physical pain of eating spicy hot food. His assistant Ashley is the guinea pig in the chili heat test. Other keys to his perfect chili include an unctuous cut of beef for body - that being braised short ribs - perfectly cooked red kidney beans where the paper think skin is all that is holding together the creamy interior, and a final hit of cumin infused butter. Cumin is a key ingredient in any chili. The final decision is the accompaniment for the chili. Based on sensory memory, most people questioned chose something soft as that accompaniment. In that vein, Heston serves his perfect chili with sweet corn muffins and a sour cream sorbet.